Malaysia Engages With ASEAN Members For Swift Response To Global Trade Situation - Liew

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has made rapid responses and engaged with ASEAN member states to outline what the region intends to do in light of this year’s sudden shift in global trade sentiment, particularly regarding the new United States (US) tariffs.

Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong said the country understands what needs to be done and is reacting fast enough with the knowledge that whatever happens this year will have a permanent impact on the world.

“We cannot stop changes globally, especially by major powers, and the impact on us.

“We have to recognise that we are not isolated, and as a small country aspiring to be a middle power but not very big, we will have to deal with the fallout when it comes to global events,” he said in his speech at the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) ASEAN Day 2025 here today. 

He said some people believe that the US will return to its previous stance after a few years, but “we have to accept that what happened in 2025 is likely to be permanent.”

“What happened in 2025 will have an impact at least as great as what happened in 2001. What we see today is something that we will have to deal with in the next five, 10, 15 years,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Liew said that as part of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship this year, one of the immediate responses to the global crisis was for Malaysia and Indonesia to co-lead the ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force.

“I chair the committee and together with our ASEAN member states, we produced the ASEAN Geoeconomics Report 2025 titled ‘This Time It Is Different: ASEAN's Agency in Shaping the New Global Agenda.’

“Our view is basically this: ASEAN matters, and it must come together. ASEAN has agency not just to respond but also to shape the global agenda and, to a certain extent, shape the global order,” he said.

He expressed hope that Malaysians would realise that the country is not a major power, but coming together will still allow it to influence global events to some extent.

“The basic message is, we are ready for (having) more influence regionally and throughout the world, however chaotic the world is,” he said. 

On MITI ASEAN Day 2025, which is held at Menara MITI from Nov 14-15, Liew said that as in previous years, among the most well-received programmes is the career fair, Karnival Kerjaya.

“This year, more than 2,000 job opportunities are being offered. Special focus is given on the area of technical and vocational training in order to introduce various career paths for youths and job-seekers. 

“We added the word ‘ASEAN’ in MITI Day because we believe that this is the year of ASEAN and we want to celebrate what we have achieved. It is very meaningful for Malaysia, as the country has been entrusted to chair ASEAN,” he added.

Visitors also have the opportunity to visit a trade and industry exhibition where they can get to learn the roles of the various agencies as well as interact directly with MITI.

-- BERNAMA