Malaysian international trade and industry ministry had imposed the two duties after concluding two parallel safeguard investigations, which it initiated following safeguard petitions by the MSA in June 2016.
August 7, 2017
The Steel Wire Association of Malaysia (SWAM) has obtained leave to pursue a court challenge against safeguard duties imposed by the international trade and industry ministry (Miti) on imported steel wire rods (SWR) and deformed bar in coils (DBIC).
Granted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court last week, the leave paves the way for the association to seek a court order to quash the safeguard duty, people familiar with the matter told The Edge Financial Daily.
The judicial review is only for the safeguard duties for SWR and DBIC, which was announced on April 13. The proceedings do not involve safeguard duties on imported steel concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) which was also announced on the same day.
The duties for SWR and DBIC begin at 13.9% for the year up to April 14, 2018, then 12.9% and 11.9% respectively for the subsequent two years. Meanwhile for rebar, imports are slapped with a 13.42% import duty for 12 months up to April 13, 2018, followed by 12.27% and 11.1% each for the subsequent two years. To recap, Miti had imposed the two duties after concluding two parallel safeguard investigations, which it initiated following safeguard petitions by the MSA in June 2016.
