THE government will apply to strike out a legal action brought by five opposition Members of Parliament against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the administration over the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) between Malaysia and the United States.
Senior Federal Counsel Nurhafizza Azizan informed High Court judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh during case management proceedings that the application to set aside the originating summons would be filed, requesting at least two weeks to prepare.
The suit, initiated by the opposition MPs, challenges the legality and constitutional standing of the ART, a bilateral trade arrangement between Malaysia and the United States that has drawn increasing scrutiny following a recent ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States on American tariffs.
Counsel for the plaintiffs, S Karthigesan, told the court that his clients would review and potentially expand the constitutional questions they intend to refer to the Federal Court in light of the US apex court’s latest decision.
“We require at least a week to study the 170-page judgment grounds issued by the US Supreme Court and to prepare the related questions,” he said.
The development signals a likely escalation of the dispute, with both sides preparing substantive arguments on whether constitutional issues arising from the ART should be determined by Malaysia’s highest court. - February 23, 2026
