KUALA LUMPUR (July 18): Former International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad asked the country’s new administration today, if it would play a lead role in fighting the scourge of the trade war involving the United States, European Union and China. 

“Seeing that trade tensions between China, the EU and US are getting worse and more serious, would Malaysia assume leadership in this matter via Asean or the World Trade Organisation, as their trade is important to us? 

“Would Malaysia act to ensure that the trade war does not spread further to the extent of impacting the global economy. It seems the other countries of the world are powerless, while the action taken by the (US, EU and China) is rampant,” he said at the Dewan Rakyat. 

Responding to the supplementary question on the trade war's impact on our local industry, Mustapa’s successor Darrel Leiking said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would give clarity in a meeting to be held in Singapore soon, to look for a good solution. 

Earlier, Leiking said although the US is Malaysia’s largest importer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells (CSPV), solar products that use the thin film technology are exempted from US protectionist measures. 

Export value of CSPV to the US rose to US$2.53 billion in 2016, from US$1.25 billion in 2013. 

“Apart from the exemption on thin film technology solar products, exemption from duty is also imposed on solar cells less than 2.5 gigawatt,” Leiking  added.