Nearly a month has passed since the United States Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump’s tariffs were unconstitutional — the very tariffs that formed the basis of the Malaysia–US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade signed by Anwar Ibrahim last October.
However, the Prime Minister has not addressed this issue.
Malaysians deserve an explanation for the lack of response from Anwar Ibrahim, given that the legal foundation of the agreement he signed is no longer valid. Businesses, exporters, and investors require clarity as the Prime Minister has yet to provide a direct answer.
I commend Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Johari Ghani for his transparency in confirming that the deal is effectively cancelled. This level of clarity should have been provided by the Prime Minister earlier.
Leadership is not about photo opportunities, grand announcements, glory of a free ride in The Beast and a free White House pen. Leadership is about taking responsibility when circumstances change.
Anwar Ibrahim should now act in his capacity as Prime Minister. He must formally notify Donald Trump and the relevant US authorities that Malaysia considers the agreement unlawful and untenable in light of the US Supreme Court's ruling.
Malaysia cannot be bound to a trade deal built on tariffs that the highest court in the United States itself has declared unconstitutional.
The longer the Prime Minister delays, the more it raises the question: what exactly is he afraid to say?