International Treaty

Insights from the Review of eCommerce Legislation Final Report

The Review of eCommerce Legislation Final Report (Laporan Akhir Kajian Semakan Semula Perundangan eDagang) (‘the report’) represents a major national effort to modernise, refresh and renew the legal and regulatory framework for online commerce in Malaysia. Led by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (‘KPDN’) with input from over 90 stakeholders, the report provides a comprehensive evaluation of existing eCommerce laws, identifies key enforcement and consumer protection gaps, and sets out a structured plan for reform.

Agreement Between the United States of America and Malaysia on Reciprocal Trade

On 26 October 2025, an Agreement Between the United States and Malaysia on Reciprocal Trade was entered into. The Trade Agreement is aimed at establishing a clear and predictable framework for reciprocal trade. The Trade Agreement establishes a comprehensive framework aimed at enhancing bilateral economic ties, strengthening supply chain resilience, and aligning both countries’ trade and national-security interests. It is composed of seven key sections and multiple operative articles, each setting specific reciprocal commitments

美利坚合众国与马来西亚互惠贸易协议

美利坚合众国政府（’美国’）与马来西亚政府已就一项《互惠贸易协议》（’协议’）达成共识，旨在加强双方的双边经济关系，并为两国出口商提供前所未有的市场准入机会。

The Cross Border Insolvency Bill 2025

The much-anticipated Cross-Border Insolvency Bill was officially passed by the Dewan Rakyat on 29th July 2025, marking a milestone in Malaysia’s legal and commercial development. After an engaged debate involving Members of Parliament from both sides of the political aisle, the Bill received broad support for its potential to modernise the way Malaysia handles cross-border financial disputes.

Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill 2025

On 30 July 2025, the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz tabled the Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill 2025 (‘the Bill’).

The Bill, containing 21 clauses in total, seeks to amend the Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties Act 1993 (Act 504) by enhancing the legal framework and improving enforcement effectiveness in preventing unfair trade practices to be aligned with the World Trade Organisation standards.

Effective Redress of Electronic Commerce Disputes

The primary purpose of the Electronic Commerce Act 2006 is to provide legal recognition for electronic communications in the formation of contracts. In simple terms, it means that contracts made through emails, websites, or apps are recognised by law and are legally binding just like paper documents. The goal is to make it easier and safer to do business online by giving legal validity to electronic communications and transactions. More importantly, these electronic records can be used as valid proof to take legal action and resolve disputes.

应对美国关税带来的合约不确定性

目前尚不确定马来西亚所面临的24%对等关税在为期90天的暂缓执行期后是否将继续维持。可以确定的是，在特朗普总统实现其征收关税背后的目的之前，企业必须把新政策及其反复调整视为“新常态”。就在本周，美国总统特朗普表示，半导体与科技产品目前获得的关税豁免只是“暂时性的”，直到美国能够在本土生产同类产品为止。

我们在上一篇文章中已探讨关税战对马来西亚的影响以及企业可如何应对。随着美中之间的针锋相对导致政策持续波动，制定应对关税的短期策略显得尤为关键。

尽管根据法律，进口方有着承担关税的责任，但出口方也难以完全置身事外。进口方可能寻求达成互利的解决方案，而这通常意味着出口方需要承担额外成本。若合同中已约定由出口方承担关税责任，出口方自然应当认真审查相关贸易合同。

Navigating Contractual Uncertainties Caused by the US Tariffs

Whether the reciprocal tariffs on Malaysia remain at 24% after the 90-day pause is uncertain. However, what is certain is that businesses must accept new policies and reversals of policies as the new normal, until Mr. Trump achieves the goal behind the initiation of the tariffs, whatever it may be. Just this week, US President Donald Trump described the reprieve on semiconductors and tech devices as “temporary”, until the US is capable of producing the same items locally.

We addressed the impact of the tariff war on Malaysia and how businesses can respond in our previous article here. As policies continue to fluctuate in the tit-for-tat between the US and China, formulating short-term plans to deal with the tariffs is key.

In this article, we propose clauses in trade agreements which ought to be reviewed in order to navigate the uncertainties of the tariff war.

美国对等关税 — 减轻影响与规范应对措施

美国总统唐纳德·特朗普于2025年4月2日对进口至美国的商品提高关税，该措施分为两个部分：

对所有进口至美国的商品征收单边基础关税10%（自2025年4月5日起实施）；以及
“对等”及特定国家的关税，该关税率据称是根据美国与各国之间现有贸易逆差的状况分配（自2025年4月9日起生效）。
马来西亚的出口商品被征收24%的关税，相较于此前2.2%的贸易加权平均关税，关税提高的幅度相当之高。

US Reciprocal Tariffs – Minimize Impact and Regulate Response

On 2 April 2025, US President Donald Trump announced a tariff hike on goods imported from other parts of the world into the United States of America, consisting of a unilateral baseline 10% on all imports to the US (implemented on 5 April 2025); and “Reciprocal” and country-specific tariffs, with rates purportedly assigned to each country based on the prevailing trade deficit between the US and that country (to take effect on 9 April 2025).

Malaysia was hit with a 24% tariff on its imports to the US, a significant increase from the previous 2.2% trade-weighted average tariff.

Insights from the Review of eCommerce Legislation Final Report

Agreement Between the United States of America and Malaysia on Reciprocal Trade

美利坚合众国与马来西亚互惠贸易协议

The Cross Border Insolvency Bill 2025

Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill 2025

Effective Redress of Electronic Commerce Disputes

应对美国关税带来的合约不确定性

Navigating Contractual Uncertainties Caused by the US Tariffs

美国对等关税 — 减轻影响与规范应对措施

US Reciprocal Tariffs – Minimize Impact and Regulate Response

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