Kuala lumpur: The United States has imposed a higher tariff of 25 percent on any and all Malaysian products sent into the country, separate from all sectoral tariffs, effective August 1, this year. This is one percentage point higher compared to what had been announced in April.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, in a letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim posted on Truth Social on Monday, US President Donald Trump stated that “the 25 percent number is far less than what is needed to eliminate the trade deficit disparity we have with your country.” However, the letter also mentioned that there would be no tariff if Malaysia, or Malaysian companies, decide to build or manufacture products within the United States. Trump assured that Washington “will do everything possible to get approvals quickly, professionally, and routinely – in other words, in a matter of weeks.”

Trump further indicated that if Malaysia decided to raise tariffs, the number that the country imposed would be added onto the 25 percent that the US is charging. Malaysia has been negotiating the US tariff with Washington since April, with the aim to lessen the 24 percent tariff imposed earlier, with the latest talks held on June 18 this year.

The announcement came ahead of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s first trip to Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN-US post-ministerial conference and other meetings of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and related meetings starting today.