KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 ? The government has completed preliminary investigations into anti-dumping on steel wire rods imports from Taiwan, China, Indonesia, South Korea and Turkey.

The International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) said the government found that there was sufficient evidence to continue with further investigations on the importation of the rods from the five countries.

“The government has decided to impose a provisional measure which shall take the form of provisional anti-dumping duty guaranteed by a security equal to the amount of the dumping margin determined through the preliminary investigations,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said provisional anti-dumping duties ranging from nil to 33.62 per cent will be imposed on imports from the countries and shall be effective not more than 120 days from the date of the government gazette.

It said the final determination would be made based on the outcome of the verification visits to foreign producers’ premises no later than 120 days from the date of the notice of the preliminary determination report.

On May 28, the government initiated an anti-dumping investigation based on a petition filed by Amsteel Mills Sdn Bhd on behalf of the domestic industries producing steel wire rods.

The petitioner alleged that steel wire rods imports originating from the countries are being brought into Malaysia at a price much lower than the price in the domestic market of the alleged countries.

The petitioner claimed that this was causing material injury to the domestic industry in Malaysia.  ?