https://www.scmp.com/rss/522880/feed The latest news and top stories on Tengku Zafrul Aziz, Malaysian Trade Minister. Known for his background in finance and banking, he previously served as Minister of Finance, where he spearheaded economic stimulus packages and the National Recovery Plan during the pandemic, contributing to significant GDP growth. As Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, he focuses on attracting investments, boosting trade and promoting environmental social and governance initiatives. He was formerly Group... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jean Iau Jean Iau Asean faces a challenge to remain relevant in light of an increasingly transactional United States under the Donald Trump administration, observers warn, even as they hail the bloc’s large inflows of trade from global superpowers. At the South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2026 in Jakarta on Tuesday, chairman of Malaysian Investment Development Authority Tengku Zafrul Aziz said that Association of Southeast Asian Nations members presented a united front in handling... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343093/why-asean-must-stay-nimble-survive-us-china-trade-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343093/why-asean-must-stay-nimble-survive-us-china-trade-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:04:20 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday announced his second cabinet reshuffle in two years, reassigning senior ministers and promoting new faces as he seeks to bolster his administration ahead of the next general election. The changes follow months of mounting political pressure on Anwar’s government, triggered by his close allies’ resignations, internal party bickering and persistent cost of living concerns. “This is about fine-tuning so the cabinet works as a team and focuses on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336662/malaysias-anwar-reshuffles-cabinet-focus-stronger-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336662/malaysias-anwar-reshuffles-cabinet-focus-stronger-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 11:36:59 +0000 The Star The Star Mahathir Mohamad has lodged a police report against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim regarding the Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) between Malaysia and the United States. According to Sinar Harian, the former prime minister claimed that Anwar’s actions were taken without the full mandate of the entities meant to represent the Federation of Malaysia. “The agreement is not valid because he [Anwar] is not the sole representative of the Federation. Such agreements should require the consent of four... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334905/mahathir-reports-pm-anwar-police-over-unconstitutional-malaysia-us-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334905/mahathir-reports-pm-anwar-police-over-unconstitutional-malaysia-us-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:55:49 +0000 Zuraidah Ibrahim Zuraidah Ibrahim Tengku Zafrul Aziz is rarely seen without his signature gleaming white smile and well-tailored suit over a trim physique and flat tummy, evidence of a strict exercise regimen. Malaysia’s minister of investment, trade and industry jokes that he is often mistaken for a Singaporean politician when abroad, perhaps because of his lean appearance and – this part is unspoken – his technocratic background. But there is one difference: “You can ask me anything on stage and I’ll try to answer.” Despite... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334566/malaysias-tengku-zafrul-us-trade-deal-umno-and-looking-singapore-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334566/malaysias-tengku-zafrul-us-trade-deal-umno-and-looking-singapore-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Carol Yang,Kandy Wong Carol Yang,Kandy Wong China has expressed “serious concerns” regarding a trade agreement signed last month between Malaysia and the United States, and some analysts suggest it might be related to how the pact could force the Southeast Asian nation to align with Washington’s sanctions regime. The official reaction on Thursday followed a meeting between Chinese and Malaysian commerce officials earlier in the week. While Beijing did not publicly specify the offending clauses, critics point to provisions that ostensibly... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334525/why-china-alarmed-new-us-malaysia-trade-deal-poison-pill-provisions-explained?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334525/why-china-alarmed-new-us-malaysia-trade-deal-poison-pill-provisions-explained?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 13:00:11 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is scheduled to speak in a fireside chat on Friday during the third Family Business Summit in Hong Kong, as the city burnishes its role as the offshore fundraising hub and ‘superconnector’ between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world. The speech is the highlight of the conference, curated by the South China Morning Post and Blue Pool Capital, with UBS as the presenting partner. The attendees – by invitation only – comprise about 150 private business... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331821/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-speak-third-annual-confab-family-owned-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331821/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-speak-third-annual-confab-family-owned-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 23:30:09 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Aidan Jones Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Aidan Jones Beneath hills draped in ancient rainforests, where rivers sustain millions and biodiversity flourishes, Southeast Asia hides a treasure coveted by global superpowers: rare earth elements. These minerals – neodymium, dysprosium and yttrium, to name just a few – form the backbone of modern technology, powering everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to MRI scanners and missile guidance systems. As much as one-fifth of the world’s untapped rare earth deposits are thought to nestle within... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3331108/us-wants-southeast-asias-rare-earths-some-fear-dig-and-dump-redux?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3331108/us-wants-southeast-asias-rare-earths-some-fear-dig-and-dump-redux?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:00:12 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia did not give up its sovereignty in a trade deal with the United States, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said, amid mounting fears that Washington through the recently brokered agreement can dictate how Kuala Lumpur should behave. The two countries signed a trade deal on Sunday during US President Donald Trump’s one-day whirlwind visit to Kuala Lumpur, capping months of negotiations that followed the mercurial leader’s “Liberation Day” announcement in April when he declared a tariff war... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3330896/malaysias-anwar-slams-claims-surrendering-sovereignty-us-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3330896/malaysias-anwar-slams-claims-surrendering-sovereignty-us-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:56:57 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan As the world’s two largest economies drift further apart, Malaysia’s top trade official has reached a sobering conclusion about what that means for Southeast Asia: businesses must build not one, but “two kitchens” to survive. “Our factories, our companies have to start preparing for having two kitchens,” Tengku Zafrul Aziz told This Week in Asia – an allusion to the reality that firms must now simultaneously cater to both American and Chinese demands and their increasingly divergent rules. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3327816/malaysia-touts-2-kitchens-solution-us-china-trade-war-we-have-no-choice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3327816/malaysia-touts-2-kitchens-solution-us-china-trade-war-we-have-no-choice?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:00:16 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau In an era marked by geopolitical rifts and economic volatility, Asean shines as a beacon of stability and potential, according to Malaysia’s trade minister. Tengku Zafrul Aziz offered a robust defence of the 10-nation bloc’s consensus-driven approach at the Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore on Thursday, insisting that its slow deliberations were a strength, not a weakness. Addressing an audience of business leaders, government officials and investors, Zafrul argued that the Association... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327604/malaysias-trade-chief-defends-slow-moving-asean-master-its-own-house?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327604/malaysias-trade-chief-defends-slow-moving-asean-master-its-own-house?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 06:45:31 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Semiconductor manufacturers in Southeast Asia must shift production to the US or face punitive tariffs, Washington’s top trade official warned on Thursday, saying tariffs “are the solution” if trade talks with regional governments fail to deliver results. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer delivered the message in Kuala Lumpur, where he met with ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). Greer’s comments came as members of the regional bloc raced to secure better... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326886/washington-southeast-asian-chipmakers-shift-production-us-or-face-tariff-solution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326886/washington-southeast-asian-chipmakers-shift-production-us-or-face-tariff-solution?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:04:15 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Malaysia’s famously pungent durian was a highlight at a gala dinner for Southeast Asian economic ministers this week, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim describing the divisive fruit as a symbol of regional unity. “Some of you are not yet familiar with durian, but I would strongly suggest that you try it,” Anwar told attendees of the 57th Asean Economic Ministers’ Meeting gala in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday evening, as quoted by Bernama. “It is like blue cheese – you either like it or you hate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3326822/durian-diplomacy-malaysias-anwar-offers-asean-ministers-king-fruits-gala-treat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3326822/durian-diplomacy-malaysias-anwar-offers-asean-ministers-king-fruits-gala-treat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 08:18:56 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has called for “fair and balanced trade” with Asean in talks with his counterparts from the bloc, as the region continues to grapple with the prospects of slower economic growth due to the impact of US tariffs, and businesses worry about narrowing access to the world’s largest consumer market. Washington’s trade tsar, who was in Kuala Lumpur to attend a meeting with the economic ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said on Wednesday... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326659/asean-leverage-trade-pact-us-talks-greer-tariffs-dent-economic-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326659/asean-leverage-trade-pact-us-talks-greer-tariffs-dent-economic-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:19:40 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Malaysia’s ban on exports of unprocessed rare earth metals this week signals that the Southeast Asian country has a realistic shot – on its own terms – at feeding the mineral-hungry United States amid its strained trade ties with the world’s dominant supplier, China, according to analysts. Kuala Lumpur will bar exports of unprocessed rare earth minerals, which are globally prized raw materials used in a range of electronic hardware, to keep supplies onshore for investment in downstream... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3322810/malaysia-flexes-rare-earth-muscle-mineral-hungry-us-seeks-non-chinese-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3322810/malaysia-flexes-rare-earth-muscle-mineral-hungry-us-seeks-non-chinese-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 02:00:22 +0000 James David Spellman James David Spellman Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang secured an apparent reprieve from US President Donald Trump, allowing the company to resume sales of its H20 chips to China. The chipmaker’s shares jumped about 4 per cent on the news. Nvidia recently became the first public company to be worth US$4 trillion; one analyst sees its market capitalisation increasing to US$5 trillion. Advanced Micro Devices expects to ship to China soon, as well. These are major wins in the torrent of constantly changing tariffs, fraught... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3318376/china-us-target-trumps-chip-policies-miss-mark?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3318376/china-us-target-trumps-chip-policies-miss-mark?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Malaysia has not yet found any evidence of illicit trade in advanced semiconductors, its trade minister said on Tuesday, adding that authorities were seeking help from the United States in its probe into alleged chip smuggling. Malaysia has been under pressure from the US to staunch the flow to China of chips crucial to the development of artificial intelligence. The Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry last month said it was investigating reports that a Chinese company in the country was... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3318243/malaysia-finds-no-sign-ai-chip-smuggling-asks-us-help?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3318243/malaysia-finds-no-sign-ai-chip-smuggling-asks-us-help?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 05:19:46 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday that US tariffs would be at the forefront of his agenda when he meets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week, as the Southeast Asian nation strives to negotiate a reprieve from punitive levies threatening to stifle economic growth and devastate export-reliant industries. The urgency stems from a move made on Monday by US President Donald Trump, who dispatched letters to the leaders of 14 countries threatening tariffs ranging from 25... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317501/malaysias-anwar-confront-rubio-over-us-tariffs-amid-fears-about-25-levy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317501/malaysias-anwar-confront-rubio-over-us-tariffs-amid-fears-about-25-levy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jul 2025 05:34:03 +0000