March 17, 2026 | 01:58 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Malaysia's Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, said the country's agreement on reciprocal trade (ART) with the US is now "null and void" following the US Supreme Court ruling that struck down Trump's sweeping tariff measures.
"It is not on hold. It is no longer there, it's null and void. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that if you want to impose tariffs, you must have reasons," he said as quoted by the local Malaysian media The Star on Monday, March 16, 2026.
The trade pact between Malaysia and the US was officially signed on October 26, 2025, by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Donald Trump. The agreement aims to promote fair treatment, protect Malaysia's exports and employment, and stabilize the trade relationship between Malaysia and the United States.
However, Johari emphasized that any future tariff actions taken by Washington must be justified on specific grounds instead of imposed across the board.
According to Johari, if the US claims it is due to trade surpluses, it must specify which industry is involved. “They cannot impose tariffs on a blanket basis,” he said.
On February 20, the US Supreme Court overturned the Trump administration's sweeping tariff policy based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
This Supreme Court ruling came just a day after President Prabowo Subianto and Donald Trump signed the trade pact.
After the court ruling, Trump announced a flat 10% tariff for all partner countries. A day later, he announced plans to raise the temporary tariff from 10% to 15%.
Read: Trump Sweeping Tariffs Struck Down: What Happens Next?
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