PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic) has dismissed accusations from DAP over his comments on the Malaysia–United States trade agreement, saying he was present throughout the Dewan Rakyat session when the ministerial statement was delivered.
“The Speaker, Tan Sri Johari Abdul, had made it clear that no interruptions or questions were allowed during the session as it was reserved for the minister’s explanation. I was in the Dewan Rakyat from start to finish,” the MCA president said in a Facebook post on Sunday (Nov 2).
Dr Wee said he listened attentively to Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz’s 30-minute briefing, during which the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister outlined the background and key provisions of the new trade deal and addressed criticisms from MPs on both sides of the political divide.
He said that during the briefing, Tengku Zafrul did not present or refer to the Cambodia–US Reciprocal Trade Agreement, but only elaborated on Article 5.1 of the Malaysia–US pact.
He added that he came across the Cambodia–US agreement later that evening and noted that it contained a clause affirming Cambodia’s sovereign right to decide whether to follow US sanctions — a safeguard missing in Malaysia’s version.
“That was why I raised the question, ‘Why can Cambodia do it, but Malaysia cannot? Is the US bullying Malaysia?’,” he said.
DAP political education bureau executive secretary Teih Jian Peng had criticised Dr Wee for “politicising” the Malaysia–United States Reciprocal Trade Agreement through a social media video in which he claimed that “the US was bullying Malaysia”.
He noted that the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry had organised a special briefing for government MPs on Oct 29 to explain the agreement, but said none of the MCA lawmakers or their aides attended the session.
The Ayer Hitam MP also criticised DAP supporters for allegedly twisting his remarks and diverting attention from the main issue.
“I urge DAP to stop mudslinging and distorting the issue to divert attention. Having personally attended the parliamentary session and the briefing, don’t they know which carries more weight?” he said.
Dr Wee had earlier questioned the implications of the Malaysia–US trade deal, saying it could limit Malaysia’s policy autonomy and benefit Washington more than Kuala Lumpur.
He noted that Cambodia’s version of the agreement explicitly protects its sovereign right not to follow US sanctions, while Malaysia’s does not.
Dr Wee said this could compel Malaysia to align with US restrictions against major trade partners such as China, Iran and Russia, potentially undermining the nation’s neutrality.
He also pointed out that certain clauses in the agreement could affect Malaysia’s telecommunications procurement, government-linked companies and product certification standards.
“Malaysia must remain free, neutral and sovereign in charting its own economic future,” he added.
A social media page had alleged that Dr Wee was absent during the government’s ministerial briefing on the Malaysia–United States Reciprocal Trade Agreement in Parliament, claiming that he had time to record videos but not to question the minister directly.
However, Tengku Zafrul had delivered his ministerial statement in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 29, during which the Speaker ruled that no questions or interruptions would be allowed.
Johari later clarified that MPs could raise their queries during the ministry’s winding-up session for the 2026 Supply Bill the following day, meaning no lawmaker had the opportunity to speak or seek clarification immediately after the briefing.
