KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — Sovereign countries should not be timid in defending free trade and opposing punitive tariffs or discriminatory policies, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said as a sovereign interdependent country, Malaysia took its position on tariffs very clearly, and has been appealing to countries to be more affirmative and more pronounced in their views on free trade and multilateralism.
“Do we agree that there should be punitive tariffs or discriminatory policies? (No,) we don’t. Do we support free trade? (If yes), then say it as a policy.
“Of course, you know the limits, but you (still) have to say it. Otherwise, you are not contributing to this new thinking,” he said during a question-and-answer session following his keynote address at the Nikkei Forum in Tokyo, Japan, today.
The session was broadcast live on television and social media. — Bernama
Date: 10 June, 2026 12:00 pm
Source: Malay Mail
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