Countervailing And Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill 2025 Tabled For First Reading

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) -- The Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill 2025, aimed at protecting local industries from unfair trade practices and ensuring the competitiveness of Malaysian products, was presented for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said that the second reading would also take place during this parliamentary session.

Meanwhile, according to the blue copy distributed in the Dewan Rakyat, the Bill, which comprises 21 clauses, seeks to amend the Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties Act 1993 (Act 504).

The amendment to Act 504 is intended to enhance the legal framework and improve enforcement effectiveness, as well as prevent unfair trade practices in the context of international trade under the World Trade Organisation.

Among the amendments is Clause 3, which amends subsection 9(1) to align the investigation period with Article 17.1 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, as Malaysia is a member country of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Meanwhile, Clause 4 is aimed at replacing subsection 12(1), enabling the government to suspend any investigation if it receives a pledge from exporting members agreeing to a price adjustment, or to eliminate or limit subsidies.

Additionally, Clause 5 seeks to amend Section 12A on countervailing duties imposed under Act 504, stipulating that such duties shall not exceed five years, either from the date of imposition or from the date of the latest expiry of the review period.

Clause 10 replaces subsection 27(1), enabling the government to suspend any investigation if it receives an undertaking from exporters to adjust prices or cease exporting to Malaysia at dumping prices.

Clause 11 refers to the amendment of Section 27A, stipulating that an anti-dumping duty shall not exceed five years, either from the date of imposition or from the date of expiry of the most recent review.

The last amendment to Act 504 was on Dec 1, 1999.

-- BERNAMA