Madani Backbenchers Cast Doubt If Art Is Agreement Of Equals If Malaysia Has Compromised Its Sovereignty

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AS Madani backers are hell-bent labelling anyone who cast doubt on the lopsided nature of the US-Malaysia reciprocal trade agreement (ART) as traitors, PKR Subang MP Wong Chen decided to take the middle path by offering an avenue for his Madani comrades to shed light into the thorny matter vis-à-vis the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) platform.
“I was in Parlimen Malaysia earlier today (Oct 27). I spent a bit of time looking at the trade deal terms with the US. Many, so many issues!” he penned on his Facebook page.

“I will speak to members of my PSSC to organise a hearing soonest so that the Madani government can clarify and explain these terms.”
The Special Select Committee on International Relations and International Trade chairman sprang into action with the five-member committee will soon convene a hearing entailing the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI), the US Embassy, economists and representatives from trade chambers to provide their views.
“While Parliament does not possess the authority to vote on trade agreements, it nonetheless has the duty to ensure the Madani government’s accountability in policy decisions,” Wong who is a lawyer by training told a media conference at the Parliament yesterday (Oct 28).



















Sacrificed sovereignty
“We, therefore, reiterate the importance of professionalising select committees to ensure they are independent and non-partisan. To achieve this, greater institutional support and resources are essential.”
While Wong has been mild in his criticism, the same cannot be said of his PKR comrade Hassan Abdul Karim who insisted that the Madani government should make public the full details of the agreement inked between ‘on transit’ US president Donald Trump and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday (Oct 26).
Describing the deal as “humiliating”, the Pasir Gudang MP claimed that Malaysia had appeared to have surrendered its economy and wealth without resistance.



















“I question what our trade negotiators, including the International Trade and Industry Minister (Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz), have agreed to,” he said in a fiery speech while debating Budget 2026.
“Without a single bomb or bullet, we’ve handed over our economy and our country’s wealth. Every year, we struggle to collect revenue through the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) and Customs, yet we’re giving away billions to America.
“What has happened, Tambun (referring to PMX)? For hundreds of years, we defended (our nation), fought the Dutch, Portuguese and British.
“Now, when Trump – the man responsible for the devastation in Gaza and Palestine – visited, we rolled out the red carpet and hand over our wealth. This is unacceptable.”
PMX, Tengku Zafrul’s denial
As it is, PMX has rejected claims that Malaysia had surrendered its sovereignty following the inking of the reciprocal agreement.
“If we are scared of the US, how is it possible that we sign this with China a day after Trump returned? That is not possible,” he told a media conference after the closing ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits yesterday (Oct 28).
“But credit goes not to me alone but to all my peers here. To me, the decisions we make are those that protect the country’s image and serve the national interest, economically, in terms of investment, and most importantly, in bringing benefits to the people.
“When we maintain good relations with other countries, traders, tourists and investors come here and that benefits the rakyat.”
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz had earlier denied that the reciprocal trade agreement signed with the US would adversely affect Malaysia’s national sovereignty.

On the contrary, he reiterated that Malaysia stood to gain better market access than previously agreed.
“If you look at the agreement, it respects both national sovereignty; we will not sign something that will affect our national sovereignty,” he told a media conference.
“The US has offered better and secured market access compared with our earlier commitments (despite the tariff rate remained unchanged at 19%, Malaysia secures additional exemptions worth US$5.2 bil on 1,711 tariff lines).” –  Focus Malaysia

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