The Malaysian deal

[asymmetric]

1. The Government seems happy with the deal they have negotiated with Trump.

2. What is the deal? In return for the U.S. reducing the tariff from 25% to 19%, Malaysia is abolishing all taxes on 11,000 U.S. products entering Malaysia.

3. And the Prime Minister has stated that Malaysia will supply the U.S. with rare earth.

4. Now rare earth as rare earth fetches little money. It is only 5% of the total value of the material. Malaysia should process the rare earth and extract the elements in it because the return would be as much as 30 times higher than just rare earth.

5. Why is Malaysia so stupid as to accept only 5% of the value when we can get many times more.

6. As far as the 11,000 products are concerned, we are abolishing 100% of our tax. For this we only get a reduction in U.S. tariff of only 6% (from 25% to 19%). That is not a good deal.

DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
7 August 2025
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14McukvrYm5/

 

[Dilemma6]

Mahathir can talk all he wants.

BUT no one actually got a good deal from the USA, (even traditional allies like UK)/japan/korea) all deal with USA are pro USA because USA is in a dire situation.

 

[asymmetric]

Mahathir can talk all he wants.

BUT no one actually got a good deal from the USA, (even traditional allies like UK)/japan/korea) all deal with USA are pro USA because USA is in a dire situation.

all countries were making use of the USA, applying tariffs on US products for the past 40-50 years thanks to politicians who could be bought.

now Trump is making this right.

 

[Dilemma6]

all countries were making use of the USA, applying tariffs on US products for the past 40-50 years thanks to politicians who could be bought.

now Trump is making this right.

Correction, USA happily allowed others to do it because the benefit outweight the cons, until it didnt.
Dont blame it on rest of the world when its US own decision.

over the last 20-30 years, US inflation were kept low due to cheap manufacturing from china/JP/kr/rest of the world etc and US companies were able to make **** ton of money selling their products in US and all around the world. On top of that, being the petrol dollar, this ensures that demands for USD are kept high. Govt can keep printing.

Slowly manufacturing were moved out from USA and average americans were left behind.

They should have re-invested in themselves instead of wars in iraq, afghan etc
Then most average americans would have benefitted along with corporate america.

Trump is right, but it isnt the world making use of USA, it is own america fault for not having the foresight to steer things in a better way ( cant exactly blame them as their policies changes every 4-8 years due to election)