Malaysia Maintains Global Lead in Rubber Glove, Condom Production
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia remains the world’s top producer of natural rubber gloves and its second-largest producer of condoms. Plantations and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said natural rubber glove exports are values at RM15.57 billion, accounting for 46 per cent of the country’s total rubber-based exports. “Malaysia is the world’s largest producer of […]
Revitalising Malaysia’s Rubber Industry
The rubber industry in Malaysia has long served as a cornerstone of the nation’s industrialisation. Once a global leader in rubber production, the sector now faces heightened challenges due to evolving market conditions and global competition, putting it at risk of becoming a sunset industry. Nevertheless, its deep-rooted expertise and capacity for innovation present a […]
US-Malaysia reach agreement on reciprocal trade
KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 26): The governments of the United States of America and Malaysia reached a pact on an agreement on reciprocal trade to strengthen bilateral economic relationship, which will provide both countries’ exporters unprecedented access to each other’s markets. “The Agreement will build upon our longstanding economic relationship, including the United States-Malaysia Trade Investment Framework […]
Budget 2026: MARGMA Appeals For Immediate Financial Relief, Human Capital Support
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA) has appealed for immediate financial relief, critical support for human capital and strategic focus on market positioning for the rubber gloves industry in Budget 2026. Its president Oon Kim Hung said the most urgent is to reduce the cumulative financial burden, particularly the […]
US opens tariff probes into medical equipment, robotics, industrial machinery
WASHINGTON (Sept 25): The US Commerce Department said on Wednesday it has opened new national security investigations into the import of personal protective equipment, medical items, robotics and industrial machinery. The “Section 232” investigations, which were opened on Sept 2 but not publicly disclosed previously, could be used as a basis for even higher tariffs […]
MARGMA backs directive requiring full local manufacturing for glove exports
MARGMA president Oon Kim Hung welcomed the decision, calling it both “timely and necessary” to safeguard the integrity of Malaysia’s world-renowned glove industry. Onn stressed that re-exporting finished gloves that are merely trans-shipped through Malaysian ports threatens to erode years of trust built with international buyers. “By ensuring every critical manufacturing step takes place on […]
Exporters warned: Gloves made abroad won’t get origin certificate, Malaysia not a hub for trade diversion
According to Johari, Malaysia currently produces around 348,000 metric tonnes of rubber annually, far lower than the industry’s requirement of over one million metric tonnes. Therefore, raw materials such as latex from Thailand are still allowed to be imported, as they are fully processed domestically before becoming end products. “What’s important is that the processing […]
Trump’s tariffs leave China’s neighbours with an impossible choice
When US President Donald Trump hit China with tariffs in his first term, Vietnamese entrepreneur Hao Le saw an opportunity. His company is one of hundreds of businesses that have emerged to compete with Chinese exports that have increasingly been facing restrictions from the West. Le’s SHDC Electronics, which sits in the budding industrial hub […]
Tariff Impact on Malaysia’s Glove Industry
Are gloves in Malaysia one sector that benefits from these tariffs? After all, a proposed 24% tariff is vastly lower than the 145% rate imposed on China. But do rising costs, cautious buyers, and potential supply gluts add pressure to glove markets? Oon Kim Hung, President of MARGMA (Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association) joins us […]