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McKinsey’s 2025 tariff-volatility playbook is reframed for Malaysian SMEs, explaining why the July expansion of Malaysia’s SST, imminent US and EU duty hikes, and the EU’s new palm-oil due-diligence rules (EUDR) make cost control urgent; the article sets out six practical levers - accurate HS-code classification, smart rules-of-origin use, free-zone duty deferral, price-adjustment clauses, sanctions screening, and board-level trade-compliance governance - and offers a free 30-minute “tariff health-check” so businesses can turn looming duty shocks into protected margins.

The EUDR will govern exports of palm oil, rubber and wood (as well as many products made thereform) from 30 December 2025 onwards. This article discusses what steps Malaysian companies should take in preparation of these newly applicable rules from the European Union.

The EU AI Act has extraterritorial effect and among others poses severe risks for Malaysian companies, which well, license or embed AI systems in the EU or whose output of their system is used in the EU. This write-up discusses the risks for Malaysian companies and highlights key compliance steps they should take.

Stamp duty on Malaysian employment contracts just went from “ignore” to “act now.” This post explains the IRB’s 6 June 2025 clarification, spells out the three-tier timeline and gives HR teams a four-step action plan - bulk-stamping guide, onboarding tweaks, cost allocation and an executive checklist - plus a ready-made email link for a free waiver-letter template.