Kuala lumpur: The bumiputera priority policy remains unaffected by the Malaysia-United States Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), as it is clearly categorized under public responsibilities, according to Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. He addressed recent claims suggesting otherwise and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding bumiputera rights during trade negotiations.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tengku Zafrul countered allegations that Article 6.2 of the agreement would require Malaysia to ensure its government-owned or controlled companies operate solely based on commercial considerations. Some interpretations of this provision suggested that state-owned enterprises could no longer prioritize bumiputera vendors, relying instead on purely commercial criteria.

Tengku Zafrul clarified this interpretation, emphasizing an exemption clause within the agreement. This clause allows Malaysia to provide non-commercial assistance or subsidies to state-owned or controlled enterprises to fulfill public responsibilities. He underscored that these public responsibilities include supporting bumiputera development, ensuring that economic progress benefits are widely shared.

In his statement on X, Tengku Zafrul reiterated that the core mission of state-owned companies is to uphold bumiputera development, aligning with the government’s broader economic goals.