EVs, Fishing Malaysian officials are reluctant to prolong the tax exemption for US-made EVs as it would mean they’d need to give similar tax breaks to other nations, according to the people. Malaysia is scheduled to end its policy, which sees imported EVs exempted from import and excise duties, in December. It’s unclear why the US, which is soon ending its own EV tax credit, is seeking favorable access to the Malaysian market, given the small presence of American manufacturers. In the first half of this year Chinese companies, including BYD Co., accounted for nearly half of all new EV registrations. There are also uncertainties around how easily Malaysia would be able to amend its foreign ownership rules. Trade Minister Zafrul, who said some US requests may not be fair to the country, has warned that the government would need to consult stakeholders before making changes, Free Malaysia Today reported this month. Additionally, negotiators see US demands for Malaysia to slash subsidies for the local fishing industry and reduce overfishing as interfering in domestic policies, according to the people familiar with matter. The majority of fishermen in the country are ethnic Malays, a key voting group for the government. Stakes are high for Malaysia, which has been seeking a trade deal with Washington for months. The government has previously said it plans to lower this year’s growth target of about 4.5% to 5.5%, with the new range dependent on what level of tariff kicks in. The US had a goods trade deficit with Malaysia of $24.8 billion last year, according to data from the Office of the US Trade Representative. (ICE KUALA LUMPUR)

Fonte notizia: 28 luglio 2025, Kuala Lumpur