Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia’s ongoing tariff negotiations with the US are “going excellent,” following meetings between top Malaysian ministers and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

He emphasized the need for a fair deal for both Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region. Malaysia is aiming to reduce current US tariffs from 24% to 10%.

Speaking at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable, Anwar stressed strong Malaysia-US ties despite foreign policy differences. He highlighted ASEAN’s efforts to strengthen trade deals and noted the importance of the upcoming Digital Economic Framework Agreement (DEFA), which aims to boost the region’s digital economy.

Anwar also defended ASEAN’s growing engagement with BRICS, saying it’s not anti-Western but a move toward broader global cooperation. Malaysia joined BRICS as a partner in October 2024, alongside Indonesia and Thailand.