KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 8 -- Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz has rebutted former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's criticism of Malaysia's recent trade arrangement with the United States, saying the latter was making "false allegations" and misrepresenting facts surrounding the deal.

In an Instagram post today, the minister of investment, trade, and industry dismantled Dr Mahathir's claim that the government was overly eager about the deal and had made concessions that unfairly benefitted the US.

Among others, Dr Mahathir alleged Malaysia was removing all taxes on 11,000 American products in return for a modest drop in US tariffs on Malaysian exports from 25 per cent to 19 per cent.

Tengku Zafrul countered that only 60.4 per cent of th...