Dewan Rakyat Passes Countervailing And Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill 2025 To Protect Local Industries

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- The Dewan Rakyat has passed the Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill 2025, which outlined protections for the local industry to address unfair trade practices by foreign manufacturers or exporters.

Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong said that the Bill’s objective is to ensure fair trade in an environment where the country is facing tariffs, experiencing the ‘second-order effects’ of these tariffs, and contending with concerns over the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) multilateral system.

“In general, public interest also includes reliance on imported goods, consumer prices, supply of goods, effects on downstream industries, and inflation.

“In facing challenges encountered by local industries due to unfair trade practices, and to defend local industries, MITI is only taking nine months to investigate and resolve a case under global standards compared to 18 months previously,” he said when winding up the debate during the Bill’s second reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.

The amendments were passed via a majority voice vote after the Bill was debated by 10 members of Parliament.

Liew said that the amendments made to the Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties Act 1993 (Act 504) are to protect local manufacturers who own factories or conduct value-added activities within the country, and not traders or wholesalers.

He elaborated that if a party merely imports and wholesales products from other countries, such as China or Japan, and faces competition from other platforms or wholesalers, the activities do not fall under the amended act.

“The purpose of this act is clear — to protect local manufacturers from unfair price competition by foreign producers or exporters,” he said.

Liew explained that dumping referred to situations where a product is sold cheaper in Malaysia than its price in the exporter’s country of origin, for example, China, Japan, Thailand, or Vietnam.

During the Bill’s second reading, Liew said the amendment to the Bill is the legal framework used to investigate and take action against imported goods dumped in the country or subsidised imports that cause harm to the local industry.

“With the changing dynamics of global trade situations and the local business environment, there is a need to review, update, and improve Act 504 in line with current developments and dynamics of international trade practices.

“This 2025 amendment aligns with the government’s intention to enhance existing laws to protect local industry interests from any unfair trade practices that cause detrimental effects,” he said.

Between 1995 and 2010, Liew said Malaysia initiated 43 anti-dumping actions against foreign exporters, and this number has increased to 67 actions from 2011 to 2024.

-- BERNAMA