Jobs versus tariffs: What are we really protecting here?

For Malaysia, opening up market access to American goods and services is not a slam dunk that those products and services will find favour here.

IN under two weeks, Malaysians will learn their fate regarding the tariff the United States will charge on exports to the world’s richest country.

The significance of the tariff rate became more complicated recently when the United States raised it by one percentage point to 25%, while competing South-East Asian countries have managed to lower their rates or maintain tariffs below Malaysia’s.