Hamzah slams Madani govt: Follow Indonesia’s bold stand or risk Malaysia’s sovereignty in US trade deal

Opposition Leader Hamzah Zainudin has launched a blistering attack on the Madani government, urging it to immediately follow Indonesia’s courageous example and reject problematic clauses in the Malaysia-US Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART).

While Jakarta has firmly pushed back against terms it views as overly binding and damaging to national sovereignty, Putrajaya continues to dismiss calls for renegotiation despite identical risks.

Indonesia’s bold stand

Hamzah highlighted that Perikatan Nasional had repeatedly warned about Articles 3.3 and 5.1 since day one, yet the government chose to ignore the red flags. “Indonesia is standing tall for its interests. Why is Malaysia rushing to be Washington’s tune and accepting praise as a ‘good actor’ without revealing the real cost?” he questioned.

The Larut MP demanded full public disclosure on whether the clauses Indonesia rejected are also in Malaysia’s agreement, and insisted on renegotiation if they threaten economic sovereignty and long-term national interests. “National priority must come before foreign compliments,” Hamzah stressed.

Business News