Semi-conductor: Premature optimism or pessimism?

The Star report reproduced last Wednesday had an Analyst gloated confidently about the tariff agreed by MITI negotiators with the US counterpart:

After intense negotiations, a trade pact was agreed, cutting the effective US tariff on Malaysian goods to 19 % – effective this month.

For now, semiconductors that fall under Section 232 and pharmaceuticals remain exempt.

Wong said for the technology sector, some companies will be able to pivot quickly in light of any new development coming from tariffs.

“It will solely depend on the sub sector and the companies whether they are chip makers, artificial intelligence, or automotive for example.

Although most of the sosmed commentators, including Dr Mahathir, complained the keypoints seemed to be in favour of US, there were those who could see through the ploy used to convince the Americans.

It was an attempt to tell the Americans that the private sector are correcting the trade surplus, including the already ordered 30 Boeing jets plus additional 30 for MAS. 

Alas, the American are dead set with their on-shoring plan and Trump announced on Wednesday American time that 100% tariff will be imposed on imported semi-conductors:

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Impact of Trump tariff on selective sectors

Tariffs unlikely to shake domestic industries 

By LYDIA NATHAN

ECONOMY 

Star Online Wednesday, 06 Aug 2025

PETALING JAYA: Domestically-driven sectors and ones that depend mostly on internal demand will likely be able to sustain their earnings despite volatilities of trade and impending tariffs.

Areca Capital Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Danny Wong said such sectors including banks, data centre-related companies and those dealing with construction, utilities and even land sales, will fare better.

“These sectors could likely outperform the ones that are affected by external factors like tariffs.

“These may settle down once tariffs are finalised or when news of it becomes stale eventually,” he told StarBiz.

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Bangladesh interest to join ASEAN

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar called on Bangladesh interim leader Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka last Sunday. In the meeting, Yunus sought Malaysia's support for Bangladesh to join ASEAN. 

Nurul is not his first as Yunos had earlier met and sought for Dr Mahathir's support. Though he has reservation over geography and the idea of ASEAN becoming a second United Nation, Mahathir was supportive of the present engagement with Bangladesh as dialogue partner or observer status in ASEAN Plus.     

For almost a year, Bangladesh have been lobbying the original founding members of ASEAN, namely Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, and Malaysia. So the snide political remarks made towards Nurul is unfair and ill informed.  

Strategic value

Bangladesh is more part of South Asia than South East Asia, but it borders Myanmar at the south and  part of the Bay of Bengals. It offers maritime and overland access to India’s Northeast, and China, which would be valuable to ASEAN’s connectivity agenda.

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