Donald Trump is at it again. The US President has threatened yet another round of tariffs after proceeding with tariffs on Canada and Mexico. This time, his target is China as the first round of 10% tariffs attracted a retaliatory response from the Middle Kingdom. He intends to impose a further 10% tariff on China as the trade war between the two countries rages on. Amid the chaos, there is one country that stands unscathed and may even benefit – Malaysia.

A springboard for Asian expansion

The good news is that Malaysia could emerge relatively unscathed from this “tariff on steroids” war that America is waging. Back in January, Singapore and Malaysia signed an agreement for the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ). This new zone, carved out for business and investment, looks set to create 20,000 skilled jobs for people on both sides of the Causeway. This SEZ is not Malaysia’s first. Back in 1972, a special industrial zone was set up in Penang....