00:00The U.S. will impose an additional 10% tariff on nearly all Malaysian exports,
00:06citing a failure to enforce a ban on goods linked to forced labor.
00:10The tariff takes effect at noon today, following a Section 301 investigation
00:16by the U.S. Trade Representative into 60 economies over forced labor import restrictions.
00:23Malaysia was placed in the lower 10% tariff ban compared with the 12.5% rate
00:29imposed on most other economies.
00:31The USCR said this was due to Malaysia's commitment on forced labor import prohibitions
00:37under a reciprocal trade agreement with the U.S.
00:42Several products will be exempted from the tariff, including crude and refined palm oil,
00:48gemstones, silk, psyllium seed husks, boswellia, and argan oil.
00:53Malaysia, along with Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Indonesia is also expected to be included
01:00in a future tariff rate quota mechanism for textile and apparel products entering the U.S.
01:08U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the move was aimed at addressing forced labor
01:15as both a human rights abuse and a distortive trade practice.
01:19He said the U.S. had instituted a forced labor import ban for nearly a century
01:26and called on trading partners to adopt and enforce similar measures.
01:30Roman Dawi Gapari, FMT
