Non-Tariff Barriers A Threat That ASEAN Must Avoid, Says Najib

By M.Saraswathi PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), April 23 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak has emphasised that what is termed as "pricing nationalism" should not be allowed to become a threat that can negate efforts to form the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by year-end. In the next few months before the AEC is formed, he said efforts to drop or abolish tariffs should be further enhanced. "At the same time, we cannot allow barriers that are not in the form of tariffs, to emerge as such. This can be a new threat where we reduce financial tariffs, but if non-tariff barriers arise, it will be counter-productive," he added. Najib said this in an interview with Bernama news agency, at his office in Putrajaya, in conjunction with the 26th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi on April 26-27. Allaying the concerns of some that the AEC will not be a reality, he added that attention needs to be given to ensuring that ASEAN member states do not allow domestic pressure in the form of non-tariff protection and barriers to affect the goal. Najib went on to say that he will emphasise in his meetings and speeches that the AEC concept needs to be received comprehensively. "It cannot be just one aspect that we agree to, but in others, we allow what is deemed as 'pricing nationalism', to be a threat that can deter efforts to make ASEAN a meaningful economic community," he added. Najib, who is also the Finance Minister, hoped that ASEAN member countries will display strong political will in avoiding non-tariff barriers. He confessed that some countries may move to create non-tariff barriers, such as during elections, to play on popular sentiment. "But, as a whole, every ASEAN leader, understands that the regional grouping is far bigger than what I term as 'narrow nationalism'. "If this 'narrow nationalism' exists, it will not benefit them," he said. ASEAN comprises 10 countries, namely, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. -- BERNAMA