KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) has imposed an immediate requirement for a Strategic Trade Permit on all exports, transshipments and transits of high-performance artificial intelligence (AI) chips of United States origin, as part of efforts to close regulatory gaps.
Miti said the new measure falls under Section 12 of the Strategic Trade Act 2010 (STA 2010), known as the Catch-All Control provision.
It mandates individuals or companies to notify the authorities at least 30 days in advance if they intend to export, transship, or transit any item not listed in the Strategic Items List (SIL), where there is knowledge or reasonable suspicion that the item may be misused or involved in restricted activities.
“This initiative serves to close regulatory gaps while Malaysia undertakes further review on the inclusion of high-performance AI chips of US origin into the SIL of the STA 2010,” the ministry said in a statement today.
Miti said Malaysia takes a firm stance against any attempt to circumvent export controls or engage in illicit trade. Any individual or company found violating the STA 2010 or related laws will face strict legal action.
“While Malaysia supports investments and trade that align with international best practices and multilaterally agreed commitments, all entities operating in the country are expected to comply with applicable international obligations to avoid secondary sanctions on their businesses,” it said.
Miti reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a safe, secure, transparent and rules-based trading environment, and said it will not tolerate misuse of Malaysia’s jurisdiction for illicit trade activities.
