Since the announcement of the reciprocal tariff by U.S. President Donald Trump on 2 April, the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) has been actively engaging with the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI). On 5 April, we formally submitted a request to MITI's Minister, YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, urging for swift negotiations to reduce the 24% reciprocal tariff.

MPMA has emphasised that failing to address this issue will severely impact Malaysian industries, particularly the plastics sector, which is heavily reliant on exports. We have requested that the Minister take immediate action to eliminate the 10% import tariff on polymers from the U.S., as access to more competitively priced resins would allow Malaysian plastics converters to better compete against the influx of low-cost plastic products from China—an issue that is expected to worsen given that China now faces a combined 54% tariff on exports to the U.S.

Furthermore, we have highlighted the significant potential for Malaysia to expand its plastic product exports to the U.S., a market that grew by 18% in 2024, reaching RM2.03 billion. This underscores the strategic importance of the U.S. market for Malaysia’s plastics industry.

With U.S. President Donald Trump expressing a willingness to negotiate, it is crucial that we act promptly to safeguard our industries and support Malaysia’s economic resilience.

https://mpma.org.my/upload/2025/PresidentsStatement.pdf

CC Cheah
President, MPMA