KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s trade with the United States has surged by 30% to RM325.2 billion in 2024, despite global trade uncertainties, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).
Exports and imports both saw notable growth, with exports rising by 23.3 per cent to RM198.9 billion and imports increasing by 42.1% to RM126.3 billion. This growth reflects the heightened demand for Malaysian goods in the US, Bernama reported.
Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, the chief statistician, highlighted that electrical and electronic (E&E) products remained the cornerstone of Malaysia’s trade with the US, representing 60.4 per cent of the total export value in 2024.
“Semiconductors were the largest contributor, making up 46.8 per cent, followed by telecommunication equipment and sound recording equipment (19.4 per cent), electrical machinery and parts (17.0 per cent), and office machines and data processing equipment (16.9 per cent),” he noted in the Malaysia Trade Statistics Review (MTSR) 2025.
The MTSR 2025 delves into Malaysia’s trade performance with the US, breaking down five key product categories: E&E, optical and scientific equipment, machinery, rubber, and wood.
Exports of optical and scientific equipment to the US reached RM12.9 billion, a 14.3 per cent increase in 2024, marking the highest value in this category.
Among the various export sectors, machinery, equipment, and parts accounted for 12.7 per cent of Malaysia’s total exports to the US, with a 33.6 per cent rise to RM8.8 billion in 2024, up from RM6.6 billion the previous year.
Rubber products also saw significant growth, reaching RM7.4 billion, while wood products remained stable, recovering to RM6.0 billion in 2024.
In a notable achievement, Malaysia ranked first globally in the 2024/25 Open Data Inventory (ODIN) report, surpassing 197 countries. This is a remarkable leap from its 67th position in the 2022/23 assessment. – December 29, 2025