Donald Trump Confirms KL Trip, US Lowers Tariff On Malaysian Goods
US President Trump will be attending the ASEAN-US Special Summit held in conjunction with the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
The United States (US) government has imposed a 19 percent tariff on Malaysian imports, effective today (1 August).
According to a report by Malay Mail, the White House published a statement on 31 July informing the tariff changes will apply to goods entered for consumption, on or after 12.01am Eastern Daylight Time, seven days after the date of the order.
However, the White House said the new rate will not apply to goods that are loaded onto a vessel and already in transit on the final mode of transport before that time, provided they are entered for consumption or withdrawn from a warehouse for consumption before Easter Daylight Time on 5 October, 2025.
“It shall not be subject to such additional duty and shall instead remain subject to the additional ad valorem duties previously imposed in Executive Order 14257, as amended,” the White House said.
Myanmar and Laos are subject to the highest tariff rates among Asean members, at 40% apiece, followed by Brunei (25%), Vietnam (20%), and Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia (19%). A 10% base tariff without a reciprocal duty applies to Singapore.
In July, the United States of America announced it would impose a 25 percent tariff on all Malaysian products entering the country, apart from sectoral tariffs, one percent higher than the rate announced back in April, Malay Mail reported.
A letter written by US President Donald Trump addressed to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim on 7 July said no tariff would be imposed on Malaysia or Malaysian companies should the government choose to build or manufacture products within the US.
Malaysia has been negotiating the tariff with Washington since April to reduce the earlier 24 percent rate, with the latest round of talks held on 18 June.
READ MORE: Trump Slaps 25% Tariff On Made-In-Malaysia Exports
Trump confirms his attendance at 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur
The US president will be making his way to Malaysia to attend the ASEAN-US Special Summit which is being held in conjunction with the 47th ASEAN Summit this 26 October, as reported by Bernama.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made the announcement in parliament yesterday (31 July), during the presentation of the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13).
The confirmation follows an official invitation extended to Trump via US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his courtesy call at the Prime Minister’s Office on 10 July.
“I would like to inform the House that at 6.50am, I had the opportunity to speak with President Trump over the phone.
“He expressed his deep appreciation for Malaysia’s effective and commendable role in helping to resolve the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia,” he said.
READ MORE: Malaysia Helps Broker Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire, Trump Claims Credit As “President Of Peace”
What is the ASEAN-US Special Summit and what will Trump be doing there?
The ASEAN-US Special Summit is a high-level meeting proposed by ASEAN under Malaysia’s 2025 chairmanship and is intended to bring together the leaders of all ten ASEAN countries and the US president to formally address pressing regional issues.
The immediate purpose of the summit is ASEAN’s collective response to proposed US tariffs — ranging from 25% and 49% — on automotive, semiconductor, pharmaceutical, and electronics imports. As the 2025 ASEAN chair, the tariffs pose a huge impact to Malaysia since electronics exports account for up to 60% of its US trade.
The last US president to attend the summit in Kuala Lumpur was fomer President Barack Obama back in 2015.
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
