TPPA - No use if it is only Parliament that decides. Why? Our MPs and Senators, according to the current Parliamentary culture, will vote not according to what they believe is right or what the people wants - but rather as what their political party instructs them to do. Since, our Prime Minister and the BN are for the TPPA, and they are the majority - the result may be obvious.
Hence, the only way we will know whether Malaysians want the TPPA, the only solution is a public referendum.
Have a Referendum and allow Malaysians to decide whether Malaysia signs the TPPA or not?
Have a Referendum and allow Malaysians to decide whether Malaysia signs the TPPA or not?
Referendum - how people can have their say..
Malaysian MPs - Party or People's Representative? Abolish the WHIP?
The impact of the TPPA will be faced by ALL Malaysians, now and in the future. It is the poorer Malaysians that will be most affected. Rising cost of medicines, or the inability to raise minimum wages or policies to secure non-precarious regular employment are issues that really does not affect the rich. The removal of subsidies and the impact of opening Malaysia to free trade and open competition involving multi-national corporations will also not impact the rich much. So, let it be the Malaysian people that makes the final decision themselves, not through their 'elected reps'.
At the last General Elections, TPPA was not an issue that determined how people voted - hence, essential for our us to go back to the people for them to have a say on this issue.
It would have been good if there had been live telecast debates between proponents for and against the TPPA.
TPPA - PAS wants referendum, says special sitting a charade
PAS wants the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) to be voted on in a referendum instead of being decided in Parliament.
"PAS
proposes a people's referendum for the government to seek a mandate on
whether to sign the agreement or not," PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim
Tuan Man said in a statement today.
Tuan Ibrahim said this was
because the agreement would have far-reaching consequences and should
not be solely decided by BN lawmakers.
A special Parliament
sitting will take place from Jan 26 to 28 to decide on the TPPA but the
agreement is expected to be passed with BN's strong majority in the
House.
"The move to allow MPs to debate and voice out their views
on the TPPA at the end of this month is positive, but PAS feels that
this is a mere charade to show that the government is still listening to
the people.
"But the fact is that BN MPs have already been instructed from above to vote in favour of the TPPA," he said.
Tuan
Ibrahim said among the main concerns surrounding TPPA were the possible
increase in the cost of medicines and the possibility of foreign
companies pressuring local enterprises.
He added that the
anti-TPPA rally set for Jan 23 signified the rakyat's concern at
Putrajaya's determination to push through with the agreement at their
expense.
"The rally will demand that the government consider the rakyat's opposition to the TPPA," he said.
PAS is expected to participate in the protest set to take place in Kuala Lumpur. - Malaysiakini, 15/1/2016
Amanah wants gov't to hold referendum on TPPA
Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) wants the government to hold a
referendum to allow Malaysians to decide on the implementation of the
Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).
The party’s deputy Youth chief Faiz Fadzil said the rakyat should be aware of the long-term effects of the trade agreement.
“Especially on the country’s future, which will be at stake if the TPPA is implemented.
“The rakyat must be united in rejecting the TPPA," he said in a statement today.
Faiz said a referendum was therefore needed since the rakyat are the ones who would be experiencing the effects of the TPPA.
“Do
not utilise the legislative and executive powers to legitimise an
agreement which would only benefit the imperialist powers, but would
affect the lives and freedom of the people,” he stressed.
The former PAS leader stressed that the TPPA is only a gateway to a new form of colonialism to the country.
“Are
the rakyat willing to be colonised again through the same modus
operandi?” he asked, citing the Pangkor Treaty of 1874 that had opened
doors to the British to conquer Perak’s economy and administration.
“The chants of ‘gold, glory and gospel’ will be played again.”
Meanwhile,
Faiz stressed that a referendum on the matter was only proper since
history has shown how BN MPs would throw their full support to any of
the government’s policies, while the opposition would not come out with a
united final say.
This is exacerbated by the failure to vote down
Prime Minister Najib Razak’s Budget 2016 this week despite a number of
Umno MPs being highly critical of their PM’s leadership.
“The
desire to vote down the budget recently saw how there were several MPs
who wanted to ‘advise’ (the government) had decided to abstain from
voting,” he said, in a dig to his former party colleagues.
The TPPA is a wide-ranging trade agreement between the US and 11 countries, including Malaysia.
While
negotiations concluded on Oct 5 in Atlanta, the agreement still needs
to be signed by the respective countries’ governments.
US President Barack Obama has been stepping up efforts to hardsell the idea to Malaysians during his visit to the Asean Summit this week. - Malaysiakini, 22/11/2015
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