Between Law and Loyalty: Ramasamy Accuses AGC of Bowing to Politics over Sovereignty
When P. Ramasamy speaks about sovereignty, he often does so with the precision of an academic and the conviction of a long-time reformist. His latest target: the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), which he accuses of defending a Malaysia–U.S. trade pact that, in his view, weakens the country’s independence.
In a sharply worded Facebook post, the Urimai president described the Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) as “unjust and lopsided,” claiming it binds Malaysia to Washington’s geopolitical agenda under the guise of countering China’s influence.
“Malaysia should be free to determine its own trade and investment policies,” he wrote. “But this so-called partnership restrains our freedom to negotiate with other nations.”
The AGC, however, insists the deal can be terminated at any time via Article 7.5, arguing that the clause itself protects Malaysia’s sovereignty. Ramasamy dismisses that assurance as rhetoric, saying the institution tasked with defending the law has instead become an echo chamber of the executive.
“As long as the AGC remains under government control, it cannot be expected to act independently,” he said, adding that sovereignty must never be treated as a bargaining chip in international diplomacy.
Ramasamy’s criticism taps into a deeper anxiety within Malaysia’s political discourse: that legal independence and national autonomy are slowly eroding under the weight of geopolitical alliances.
For him, the ART is more than a trade deal — it is a test of whether Malaysia still speaks for itself in the corridors of global power.