mˈæhɐθˌɪɹ tɹˈaɪd tə səpˈoːɹt ðɪ aɪdˈiə baɪ stɹˈɛsɪŋ ðætðɪ ˈiːɛk kənfˈɔːɹmz wɪððə dʒˈɛnɚɹəl ɐɡɹˈiːmənt ˌɔn tˈæɹɪfs ænd tɹˈeɪd ɡˈæt, bˌʌt ðɪs stˈɛp ˈɔːlsoʊ bɹˈɔːt hˈɑːɹdli ˌɛni ɹɪzˈʌlts.
Mahathir tried to support the idea by stressing that the EAEC conforms with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), but this step also brought hardly any results.