KUALA LUMPUR: Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has dismissed rumours that the United States sought exclusive rights to Malaysia’s rare earth products.
He clarified that no such request was made during recent tariff negotiations.
“I don’t know where it is coming from, because there are many speculations. But I can attest that there is no request from the US to exclusively have access to our rare earth (product),” he said at a press conference.
Tengku Zafrul emphasised that Malaysia has no agreements to exclusively supply rare earths to the US or any other nation, including China or neighbouring countries.
The Lynas Malaysia Advanced Materials Plant near Kuantan, operational since 2012, remains a key global rare earth processing hub outside China, serving markets in East Asia, the US, and Europe.
Separately, the minister highlighted efforts to secure zero tariffs for Malaysian commodity exports like cocoa, rubber, and palm oil to the US.
He noted that products the US cannot produce domestically stand a strong chance of tariff exemptions, currently set at 19 per cent. – Bernama