bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo
  1. Negotiations

US-Malaysia


Having signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement on 10 May 2004, the US and Malaysia agreed in early 2006 to start negotiating a bilateral Free Trade Agreement. US negotiators indicated that they expected to conclude talks by the end of 2006 but that was not to be.

The Malaysian government has been putting up a fight on various issues such as government procurement (which Malaysia does not want to open to US participation) and its Bumiputra policy (giving special preferences to ethnic Malays). Social movements, on the other hand, reject the talks particularly in terms of the implications of a deal on access to medicines, intellectual property and Malaysia's autonomy to set policies. The negotiations have stalled since 2009, and are now effectively on ice.

last update: May 2012

Photo: Third World Network

The FTA with the US: To sign or not to sign?
24-Feb-2007     Tehran Times
While there are some benefits that will accrue to Malaysia from a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, the disadvantages, it is apparent, will outweigh its advantages.
Questions over FTA with the US
15-Feb-2007     New Straits Times
Will the bilateral free trade agreement between Malaysia and the US be signed?
Rafidah: Distributive trade guidelines an issue with the US
14-Feb-2007     The Edge Daily
Malaysia's controversial guidelines on foreign participation in the distributive trade sector are one of 58 outstanding issue in the ongoing free trade talks with the United States.
Malaysia, US free trade talks bog down
10-Feb-2007     AFP
Talks for a free trade agreement between the US and Malaysia are bogged down in sensitive issues and are unlikely to meet a crucial deadline to forge to deal, according to a senior US official.
Malaysia, US to take contentious issues 'off the table'
9-Feb-2007     Business Times
Malaysia and the US have agreed to take contentious issues "off the table" in their ongoing (free trade agreement) FTA negotiations, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said.
FTA - The poor fear for their future
8-Feb-2007     Malaysiakini
A 52-year-old rubber tapper from Semenyih rode on a bus for more than an hour to bring his concerns to the doorstep of the United States embassy in Kuala Lumpur today.
GPKK demonstrates against FTA outside US Embassy
7-Feb-2007     Bernama
The Coalition of Factory Workers and Trade Unions (GPKK) demonstrated for half-an-hour outside the United States embassy, here Wednesday to protest against the on-going Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation which it claimed violated the rights of the lower-income group.
Malaysia: Iran deal clouds free trade plans with US
7-Feb-2007     IPS
A free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and Malaysia, in its final round this week, has run into opposition from trade unions and also from U.S. lawmakers opposed to an energy deal struck between this country and Iran.
Malaysia Attorney-General defends generic medicines before UN rights body
6-Feb-2007     3D
Malaysia's Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani has publicly stated his country's stand "that generic drugs should not be restricted in any manner". Implying that a US-Malaysia FTA could result in more expensive drugs, he said that Malaysia is not going to negotiate on this issue, and added “we are providing the drugs for free.”
US targets Malaysia in drive to sign Muslim countries to free trade agreement
4-Feb-2007     Media Monitors Network
FTAs are increasingly being regarded by many countries as Washington's economic analogue of a nuclear bomb.