WASHINGTON, June 2 -- The United States has proposed new tariffs targeting Malaysia and 59 other economies over alleged failures to act against forced labour, as it moves to rebuild its tariff agenda following legal setbacks.

Reuters reported that the US Trade Representative (USTR) proposal outlines duties ranging from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent, which will undergo a public comment period before any final decision is made.

The move follows earlier investigations into trading partners including China, the European Union and Japan, examining whether they had taken sufficient action to prevent imports of goods made with forced labour and whether such practices affected US commerce.

On Tuesday, the USTR said 54 economies "failed to impos...