DEWAN RAKYAT SPECIAL SESSION: PLATFORM TO VOICE VIEWS ON US TARIFFS - FAHMI

PUTRAJAYA, April 23 (Bernama) -- The special sitting of Dewan Rakyat on May 5 will serve as a platform for the government and opposition to present their views on the issue of the United States (US) retaliatory tariffs imposed on Malaysia.

MADANI government spokesman and Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the sitting will begin with a statement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at 11 am followed by a debate session.

“The debate will see both the government and opposition parties present their views (on the issue of retaliatory tariffs).

“(It will then) be concluded by the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and the Ministry of Finance,” he said in a press conference here today.

Fahmi said all Members of Parliament would receive a notification on the special session today.

“The Speaker will officially send a letter to all Members of Parliament today,” he said.

Yesterday, Anwar confirmed that a special session of Dewan Rakyat would be held on May 5 to discuss the issue of US retaliatory tariffs imposed on Malaysia.

Regarding Tengku Zafrul’s visit to Washington to discuss the issue of retaliatory tariffs, Fahmi said the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry would hold a meeting with his US counterpart to discuss the start of a series of discussions on the tariffs.

"We cannot anticipate what will be announced. We have to wait until they return and report to the Cabinet," he said.

US President Donald Trump on April 3 announced that his country would introduce a basic tariff of 10 per cent to all countries and a higher duty involving several countries including Malaysia at 24 per cent.

-- BERNAMA