Malaysia's Trade Seen Growing Five Pct In 2017 - Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s trade is seen growing five per cent in 2017 amid the global economic uncertainty, said International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed. "What we’ve experienced in the first four months (of this year) was very unusual, we’ve experienced a steep increase in trade since five, six years (ago) by more than 20 per cent this year. So, we feel it’s very difficult for us to maintain the significant increase. "At this moment we still have not reviewed our forecast as the situation is still uncertain. World trade is growing, but it is difficult to know what will happen in the second half of this year," he told reporters at the breaking of fast hosted by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), and its agencies here Monday. Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Ahmad Maslan was present. Malaysia's total trade in April 2017 expanded 22.5 per cent to RM139.18 billion (US$1 = RM4.26) compared with the corresponding month last year, with exports increasing 20.6 per cent to RM73.97 billion. Meanwhile, the total trade for the first four months of 2017 surged 23.8 per cent to RM569.68 billion compared with RM460.02 billion in the same period last year. On another matter, Mustapa said trade relations with the Middle Eastern countries remained strong, especially after the recent high-profile visit by King Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia to Malaysia in February. Commenting on the move by six Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar for allegedly destabilising the region, Mustapa said: "What happened this morning would not have any impact on our trade and investments ties." Meanwhile, MITI and its agencies also entertained 20 students from Pusat Tahfiz Darul Furqan, Padang Balang, Kuala Lumpur to the breaking of fast. -- BERNAMA