20/06/2025

FRIDAY | JUNE 20, 2025

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Tariff talks with the US went well, says Anwar KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said discussions between Malaysia and the US on the imposition of unilateral tariffs had proceeded smoothly. Anwar said he was informed of the positive progress by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, who are currently in the US. “This morning, I received a message from (Tengku Zafrul) and the finance minister that their meeting with the US Secretary of Commerce, who has been extremely busy, went excellently,” he said in his keynote address at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable: Recalibrating Asia’s Frontiers event yesterday. He added that Malaysia continues to rely on sound reasoning and principle in pursuing what is fair and just, and called on fellow Asean member states to adopt a similar approach. Tengku Zafrul arrived in the US on Tuesday to begin negotiations over the impending reimposition of US reciprocal tariffs, ahead of the July 8 expiry of a temporary 90-day suspension. Malaysia currently faces a 24% tariff on selected exports to the US. He said his delegation’s main focus was to negotiate better market access and address supply chain challenges. Meanwhile, Anwar reiterated that international trade must be governed by transparent rules and legal predictability, not unilateral actions or coercive economic measures. “Disruptions in trade and supply chains will only bring detrimental effects to businesses and hamper economic growth, further impacting efforts to safeguard the socioeconomic well-being of the people,” he said. He described the US imposition of unilateral tariffs as a significant challenge for Malaysia and the region, as both are deeply integrated into global supply chains. “Malaysia will continue to engage constructively with the US, China, the European Union, India and others in advancing our national interests. And let there be no doubt that Malaysia’s strategy of active non-alignment is a deliberate and principled framework – one designed to maximise strategic flexibility, preserve decision-making autonomy and allow us to engage all partners on our own terms,” he said. Anwar added that Malaysia looks forward to collaborating as a BRICS partner country, and to exploring new avenues for cooperation within the grouping. He added that the recent expansion of BRICS to include members and partners from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa and South America reflects its role in bridging regions and promoting inclusive engagement. – Bernama

PM slams Israeli strikes on Iran as ‘punitive, unprovoked’ KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory, describing them as “punitive” and “unprovoked” acts that violate international law and undermine diplomatic efforts. He said the attacks were clearly intended to derail ongoing negotiations and shatter hopes for a peaceful resolution in the region.

“Such actions, carried out with utter impunity, constitute a blatant violation of international law, further eroding the norms that hold the global order together. We call on those with power and influence to speak plainly and act decisively to restrain further escalation,” he said at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Also present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia chairman Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah, Bernama reported. On the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Anwar expressed deep concern over Israel’s ongoing military campaign, calling it a tragedy that continues to inflict a devastating toll on a defenceless population. “The staggering civilian casualties, overwhelmingly women and children, demand far more than pious proclamations of concern. They require concerted international action to uphold humanitarian law, secure an immediate ceasefire and ensure the unfettered delivery of aid to those in desperate need.” Anwar warned that the credibility of the so-called rules-based

Anwar giving his keynote address at the event yesterday.

“While we do not pretend to reshape the region to fit our ideals, we can act to prevent its worst outcomes. Stability is not guaranteed, but neither is chaos inevitable. What we do now – how we manage tensions, balance relationships and defend our interests – will determine how the region weathers the storms ahead.”

dialogue over disruption, of law over disorder, of restraint over escalation.” He stressed that Malaysia believes the region’s future does not lie in hardened blocs or fragile balances, but in a security architecture that is inclusive, rules-based and predictable – one in which active non-alignment is not merely accepted but enabled to thrive.

international order is “on trial”, urging global powers to act decisively to prevent further escalation. Shifting focus to regional tensions, he said similar pressures are playing out across the Asia Pacific. “In the Taiwan Strait, Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea, familiar flashpoints flicker. Here, as ever, we must insist on the primacy of

Malaysian landscape industry set to hit RM60b by 2030 o Rapid growth driven by 24 sub-sectors, job creation and rising role in sustainable development under Madani framework

sufficient. We must now reassess our approach and move towards more sustainable solutions,” he said during the signing ceremony for the public private partnership concession agreement for the Sungai Udang project yesterday. Nga said WtE technology is expected to contribute up to 600MW of renewable energy, supporting the national target of 70% renewable energy capacity by 2050. The government has sealed the concession agreement for the plant after about five years of persistent effort under the Madani administration. The Sungai Udang facility is expected to process up to 1,000 tonnes of waste daily, generate 22MW of electricity and reduce over 259,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, equivalent to planting more than four million trees. It will also feature a leachate treatment plant with a 96 cubic metre capacity, and will be built on a 3.96ha site at the existing landfill. Construction is slated to begin in 2026, with full operations expected by 2029. The project will run under a 34-year concession until 2061, followed by decommissioning and demolition. Nga noted that Singapore already operates four WtE plants and is building a fifth, while Thailand has 33 and China 975, all constructed with proper safety and environmental standards. “Although Malaysia adopted the technology later, this gives us a strategic edge. We can learn from others’ mistakes and implement safer, more efficient and sustainable systems.”

Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“Last year’s event recorded transactions worth more than RM10 million and this year, we aim to surpass that,” Nga added. He also highlighted the close link between the landscape and real estate sectors, pointing out that landscape design plays a crucial role in enhancing property value. Property sales in Malaysia surged by 18% last year, reaching RM230 billion, with more than 42,000 real property units sold. Nga urged the public, especially Johoreans, to attend the six-day National Landscape Day 2025 celebration at Taman Bandar, Bukit Layang Layang in Pasir Gudang starting June 25. Separately, Nga announced the development of Malaysia’s second Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant in Sungai Udang, Malacca as part of efforts to strengthen solid waste management and achieve zero waste status. The new plant follows the success of the country’s first WtE facility in Ladang Tanah Merah, Port Dickson, which was completed in 2023. That facility processes 800 tonnes of waste daily and generates 15 megawatts (MW) of electricity. “Malaysia is projected to generate 17.03 million tonnes of solid waste by 2035. Continued reliance on landfills is neither sustainable nor

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s landscape industry is on track to become a RM60 billion economic powerhouse by 2030, contributing 3% to gross domestic product (GDP) under the National Landscape Policy, said Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming. He added the sector contributed RM39.4 billion to the GDP in 2024, up from RM35.68 billion in 2023, reflecting rapid growth and rising importance as a pillar of sustainable development. “The sector now comprises 24 landscape related industries and 20,537 registered landscape contractors. It is being positioned as a key driver of sustainable development under the Madani framework. “The 2024 Agriculture Census also recorded 1,113 agricultural holdings involved in flower and landscape plant cultivation, covering 45,300ha nationwide. Johor recorded the largest area at 39,600ha,” he said during the soft launch of National Landscape Day 2025 yesterday. This year’s theme, “The Landscape Industry as a Catalyst for Madani Development”, aims to position the sector as a strategic contributor to quality of life while generating jobs and income.