KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Liew Chin Tong today pushed back against claims by three government MPs that Malaysia was “forced” into negotiating the Malaysia–United States Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) and that the deal was heavily skewed in favour of the US.

In a statement, Liew said the MPs — Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli (Pandan), Wong Chen (Subang Jaya) and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa) — had selectively quoted his remarks from a public forum, creating a misleading impression of the agreement.

“They were selectively quoting my remarks made at the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) Business Conference on the 2026 National Budget, SST and International Trade Updates. My comments must be understood within the broader context of international trade at present,” Liew said.

He explained that when former US President Donald Trump imposed high tariffs on trading partners on April 2, 2025, all major exporting nations, including China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the European Union, had to engage with the US — and Malaysia was no exception.

“Despite these difficult global circumstances, we still secured a deal that reduced our tariff burden from 24–25% to 19% under the ART and expanded our market access. This certainty in trade with the US will help provide stability to our economy, particularly as Malaysia continues to rebuild and strengthen,” he said.

Liew also rejected claims that the agreement compromises Malaysia’s sovereignty, noting that Articles 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 contain clear caveats that obligations must be executed in line with domestic laws and regulations and shared economic or national security concerns.

“The recommendations in the MPs’ statement for a Royal Commission of Inquiry, renegotiations and similar proposals are unnecessary and stem from a lack of understanding of the ART and the broader international trade context,” he added.

He emphasised that MITI, led by Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, is always available to brief Parliament on trade matters and that efforts to paint a “gloomy picture” only risk sowing public mistrust.

“The Government and MITI are clear-eyed. We are here to protect jobs and export markets reliant on the US while actively building domestic resilience, strengthening ASEAN economies, and diversifying trade relationships,” Liew said.

Earlier today, Rafizi, Wong Chen and Nik Nazmi called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate all matters relating to the ART, claiming that Malaysia had been “forced” into the negotiations.

They also questioned why Malaysia chose a full trade agreement rather than a memorandum of understanding or framework, and called for a thorough review of the deal’s potential impact on national sovereignty and existing free trade agreements such as RCEP and CPTPP.

The MPs urged the Madani government to appoint international trade lawyers and experts to amend burdensome articles, conduct a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis, and assess the geopolitical implications of the agreement for Malaysia’s foreign and trade policies.