Free Trade Efforts:

The Malaysian Government is negotiating free trade deals with Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States and officials have expressed desire for free trade agreements with Singapore and Thailand. The governments of Malaysia and Chile began negotiating a free trade deal on 19 November 2006.

The Malaysian Trade Ministry released a statement in Vietnam saying that the FTA "has the potential to increase trade, investment cross flows and economic cooperation between the two countries. The agreement would also serve to make Chile a gateway for Malaysia's exports to the Latin American market."

Main branches of industry:

rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining.

Imports:

            $127.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Malaysia Major Imports:

            electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

Import from Pakistan:

            Malaysia’s major imports from Pakistan are fresh, chilled and frozen fish (22.7 per cent of total imports), rice (22.4 per cent), textile yarn (7.6 per cent), fabrics, woven, man-made textile material (7.5 per cent) and woven cotton fabrics (4.8 per cent).

Imports partners:

            Japan 14.6%, US 13%, Singapore 11.8%, China 11.6%, Taiwan 5.6%, Thailand 5.3%, South Korea 5%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Exports:

            $158.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Malaysia Export:

            electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil,coconut, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Exports partners:

            US 19.7%, Singapore 15.6%, Japan 9.3%, China 6.6%, Hong Kong 5.8%, Thailand 5.4%

Currency (code):

            ringgit (MYR)

Ports and terminals:

            Bintulu, Johor, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, George Town (Penang), Port Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas