Kota Belud MP Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis said the federal government could not solely rely on Penang, Johor and Selangor to help withstand the impact of the tariffs.

She said being overly dependent on a few economic hubs leaves the country exposed.

“If the ‘breadwinner’ states are hit, the whole country will suffer.

“Like it or not, the government must shift its focus to Sabah and Sarawak.

“These two states have been sidelined despite their vast land and mineral resources, as well as their potential in both the green and blue economies,” she said during the Dewan Rakyat’s special sitting to debate the US tariffs today.

The blue economy refers to the sustainable use of ocean resources, while the green economy is defined as being low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive.

Isnaraissah also questioned the government’s continued focus on “Look East” policies that emulate Japan and South Korea while ignoring the untapped potential within its own eastern frontier.

“Why do we keep looking far east to Japan and Korea, when our own east, Sabah and Sarawak, remains underdeveloped?” she said.

The US has announced a 24% “reciprocal tariff” on most Malaysian goods as well as a range of tariffs on about 60 countries. The tariffs have been paused for 90 days to allow for trade negotiations.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said it was too early to gauge if the tariffs imposed will have an impact on Malaysia, as they have been put on hold.

However, he said the tariffs would have a negative impact on global supply chains and trade, especially on small and medium-sized enterprises, which would be “disruptive to Asean’s economic stability”.