Malaysians want to know what the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement
(TPPA) is all about - at present, even the Draft is secret - what is available is only a small percentage of the agreement that has been leaked. The first thing that MITI or the Malaysian government should do is to publish the draft of the entire TPPA, so that everyone can get involved in the understanding and expressing views - a proper consultation. When the draft is made available - then people could send comments by email/letter/memorandums - and there could even be a series of public consultations all over Malaysia - REMEMBER this agreement will affect the well being and livelihood of all in Malaysia, and we deserve to be consulted before the Agreement is signed.
There should maybe be a Parliamentary Select Committee set up to discuss this, and maybe be tasked with the approving what Malaysia will commit itself by virtue of this agreement.
MITI consultations, to date, I believe have been 'closed door meetings', and restricted to just specific sections the party consulted is concerned with - but again there is no information about the concerns of these CSOs or Trade Unions, and also the agreement reached with regard the changes in position of Malaysia. Is it secret? Are the participants 'gagged' and prevented from disclosing what transpired in these meetings? We want to know what were the points raised, and most importantly whether Malaysia shifted its position after the discussion or not.
The state of affairs in Malaysia is pathetic - and we want to improve it but it seems that the TPPA contains clauses that are huge hurdles to the improvement of livelihood and well-being of Malaysians, and opens Malaysia to the possibility of being sued by the 'foreign investor' not in Malaysian courts but in some arbitration tribunal in New York... Why should the 'investor' be accorded such rights?
TPPA apparently implies the state of Malaysia as it is now - and any changes be for public health reasons, environmental protection, improved employment rights and better conditions ...which causes the 'foreign investor' to spend monies hence reducing profits opens Malaysia to be dragged to some foreign tribunal. Hence fear may result in Malaysia not improving life in Malaysia - Why? The worry of having to pay some 'investor' millions (maybe billions) of ringgit...
Australia has insisted that they would not be bound by such 'investor protection clauses/chapter' but Malaysia has yet to say anything...
Malaysia do not really have to depend on markets in US and the countries in the TPPA - we are in ASEAN (a market of half billion), China, India - so do we even have to 'kow tow' to US?
As I said, the contents of the TPPA are secret - so we only can comment on what has been leaked, and are still in the dark as to what else is in that agreement. Even Malaysian Parliament is in the dark....
Miti throws ball back into Bantah TPPA's court
Ministry secretary-general Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria told Malaysiakini that she had asked the anti-TPPA NGO coalition to specify its area of interests so that she could pull in the relevant stakeholders and organise a focused discussion on these matters.
"I cannot bring the whole government (to the discussion). I said, ‘You tell me what area (of interest) and we will bring in the necessary people for the structured engagement as we did with the tobacco control groups.
"To date, there is nothing. All they want to do is to say that we are not engaging them," she said when contacted yesterday.
Sta Maria (right) also said that Miti Minister Mustapa Mohamed had already met the group just prior to flying to Bali for the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, which started on Oct 5.
Using the tobacco control groups as an example, she said she was able to facilitate a "fruitful" discussion that within half a day resulted in their feedback being included in Malaysia's proposals for the agreement.
In contrast, she said Miti could not entertain Bantah TPPA's request to hold a "lab" because its officers are needed to deal with other business instead of being occupied with this for several days.
Sta Maria was responding to Bantah TPPA's allegation that Miti has not delivered on several promises, such as involving the group in structured engagements on.
"If you say your concern is investment, I will bring the investment people. If you say it is financial services, I will bring in Bank Negara.
"(It is) very focused. We cannot have 20,000 people there (in a meeting). It does not make sense. It is not effective," she emphasised.
'Counter-roadshows'
Sta Maria added that Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju) and Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Isis) have been appointed to conduct independent studies on TPPA.
However, she said the think-tanks have just started work and will be consulting Bantah TPPA in due time.
"We have no intention of leaving them out. We would be silly to do so. The studies are independent and we have advised those undertaking the studies to get feedback from all interest groups," she said.
Sta Maria also dismissed Bantah TPPA's allegation that it has been holding ‘counter-roadshows' to support TPPA at taxpayer's expense.
"I don't know what do they mean by roadshows using taxpayer's money. At Miti, we don't have money. We just bring them together for coffee and tea - all in our office," she said.
To back her case, Sta Maria has also furnished Malaysiakini with Miti's schedule for engagement on TPPA for the final quarter of 2013.
Among others, it shows that the minister had met Bantah TPPA along with several other groups on Sept 6.
It also states that Miti will possibly be consulting or has already consulted with groups such as the Malaysian Aids Council, Malaysia Trade Union Congress, Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM), Malaysia Youth And Students Democratic Movement (Dema) and the Malaysian Bar Council. - Malaysiakini, 10/10/2013, Miti throws ball back into Bantah TPPA's court
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