“I challenge anyone making such claims to point to a clause that grants US companies Bumiputera status under the trade deal,” he said, according to Bernama.

He was speaking to the media after a special parliamentary caucus held to brief MPs on the Malaysia-US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART).

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday alleged that American companies have effectively been granted Bumiputera status under a reciprocal trade agreement signed by Malaysia and the US, calling it “a betrayal of Malaysia’s independence”.

Mahathir said the agreement would force Malaysia to purchase goods from the US and allow Washington to influence Malaysia’s future trade policies.

Tengku Zafrul also rejected suggestions that the ART undermined national sovereignty, stating that both the Malaysian and American governments were committed to upholding sovereignty, economic prosperity and resilient supply chains through the agreement.

“This means both sides remain committed to upholding their respective sovereignty, supported by a strong and enduring bilateral economic relationship.

“When reviewing the agreement, it must be read in full. Every clause needs to be considered in the context of maintaining each country’s sovereignty, which is why the document should not be read in isolation,” he added.