Government to start probe on newsprint dumping
PETALING JAYA: The Government has decided to initiate a preliminary investigation on newsprint dumping into Malaysia from Belgium, Germany, Sweden and United Kingdom.
This follows after it had determined that there is sufficient evidence of dumping, injury and causal link following a petition from a domestic producer.
The International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) yesterday said the petitioner alleged that the newsprint were being imported into Malaysia at a price much lower than that in the domestic market of the alleged countries.
“The petitioner claims that this is causing material injury to the domestic industry producing the same product in Malaysia,” Miti said in a statement.
It said that the local newsprint producer also claimed that imports from the alleged countries had increased in terms of absolute quantity.
“As a result, the petitioner has suffered from the effects of dumping, among others, price undercutting, price depression, reduction in market share, reduction in domestic sales, reduction in cashflow, low productivity, low production and low capacity, low return in investment and inability to raise capital,” the statement added.
The investigation will be carried in accordance to the Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties Act 1993 and its related regulations. A preliminary determination will be made within 120 days from the date of initiation.
“If the final determination is affirmative, the Government may impose an anti-dumping duty based on the margin of dumping,” Miti said.
The ministry added that it had developed a set of questionnaires relevant to the investigation and all interested parties (importers, foreign producers, exporters and associations) may request for the questionnaires before April 19.
“Interested parties are also invited to make their views known in writing, in particular by replying to the questionnaires with supporting evidence to the Miti on or before 6 May 2013.
If no additional information was received within the specified period, the Government may make its preliminary findings based on the available facts,” it said.