Gov't accuses US of hypocrisy, double standards over steel tariffs
The major world power preached free trade on the one hand but had now instituted "the worst" kind of tariff protection, she told reporters.
"Every country now is in a difficult position because of the surplus and the glut and the prices going down, so they are now instituting all kinds of tariff protection but the US is the worst of all," Rafidah said.
"That's quite normal, what they say is not exactly what they do. Most major players of the world do not practise what they preach and that is why Malaysia always adopts its own pragmatic position."
Rafidah said Malaysia also had "very small interim protection measures" for its steel industry but this was in line with its approach to gradually liberalising the market.
"We don't want to subscribe to free trade and do something else... we are not free trade preachers," she said.
"We believe in market liberalisation to a point that doesn't jeopardise our own economy but for some other countries like the US, free trade is their philosophy but their practise is protectionism."
Discriminatory treatment
Rafidah said the US imposition of tariffs of between eight and 30 percent was a "double standard" because countries which have free trade area (FTA) agreements with Washington were exempted.
"It is double standard because those with FTAs with them, they give discriminatory treatment such as Mexico, Canada..." she said.
Rafidah said she would write a letter to US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick to express Malaysia's concerns over the matter.
"The EU (European Union) is going to the WTO, I will write a letter to Bob Zoellick expressing our concern about this trend... Malaysia feels very strongly about it," she added.
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Wednesday criticised the US, saying its decision "denies the commitment to free trade" and called on countries unhappy with the move to take action together.
The EU officially lodged a complaint Thursday with the World Trade Organization on the US steel tariffs.
Japan has said it wants to join the EU action, and other nations hit by the measures - such as China, South Korea, Ukraine, Brazil, India and Australia - could opt to do so as well. (AFP)
