Just hours ago, 9.00am Atlanta time, the 12 participating nations of Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement made a live announcement concluding the highly anticipated ‘trade agreement for the 21st century’.
The agreement and the text have been finalised and concluded, still shrouded in secrecy, despite our Minister Dato’ Mustapa Mohamed’s absence at the press conference. Malaysia was represented by Chief Negotiator Mr. Jayasiri.
Minister Dato’ Mustapa’s absence raised a red flag as to how an important trade negotiation is being handled by MITI and the government. Our Minister rightly should attend the process until the very end.
It bears reminding that Prime Minister Najib at the APEC Summit (Bali, October 2013) made a promise for the TPP to be presented in Parliament.1
MITI had also told the Dewan Negara that the government would ensure that the nation’s and the people’s interests are not compromised by the ‘21st century trade pact’ – which certainly encompass many areas other than trade alone. Furthermore, the term 21st century should denote a transparent environment – where the public, parliament and civil society in general should be given access to the treaty’s official text – not denied as is.
As such, for the past two years and more, my colleagues and I have been seriously following and engaged in the TPP negotiations. We persistently push the government for greater transparency and proper disclosure with regards to content of negotiations.
On the 25th of September 2013, I had pushed for a select committee on the TPP through a question in parliament. The government then moved to form the TPPA caucus, of which I am member of.2
Granted, there have been engagements made with MITI, and by extension Trade Secretary Ambassador Michael Froman; but we remain very much in the dark with regards the demands made to ensure Malaysia’s interest are left intact in the final negotiated text. In sum, there’s much to ponder as none of us representing the Opposition Members of Parliament in the caucus, have had access to the actual negotiating texts.
According to the fast track regulations, the full TPPA text will be released in 30 days after the deal has been agreed. President Obama will allow the Congress 90 days after deal conclusion for deliberation of the pact’s details before being able to sign this agreement. The negotiations have been concluded and there will be no more changes as to the content of this agreement.
We must, together with active members from civil society, fully scrutinize the final text of the TPPA.
We must ensure Prime Minister Najib Razak is held responsible and answerable to the promises he and his government have made in the treaty.
We must ensure that the text is fully disclosed and members of the August House are provided sufficient time to scrutinize and deliberate the treaty. If the American congress is given 90 days; Malaysia should not be left behind in strengthening parliamentary democracy through proper scrutiny of trade agreements – especially one that is expected to run more than hundreds of pages; involve 12 nations and affect Malaysia in a multitude of areas other than just trade.
Malaysia must stand to benefit and Malaysians protected as the treaty traverses the perilous concerns ranging from: the prices of medicines, steep protection of intellectual property, status of our state owned enterprises (Khazanah, Petronas, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, etc), the actual stranglehold of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement Mechanism on our Judiciary, streamlined labor rights, and the impact of foreign businesses on existing Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, to name a few.
The fight to ensure that TPPA is negotiated in the best interest for the Rakyat will not end until it is signed and we will ensure that we will be there until the very end.
NURUL IZZAH ANWAR
LEMBAH PANTAI MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
KEADILAN VICE PRESIDENT AND ELECTIONS DIRECTOR
TPPA CAUCUS MEMBER
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1 http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/10/14/najib-defends-malaysias-tppa-stand/
2 Soalan Parlimen 25 September 2013
Puan Nurul Izzah Anwar [Lembah Pantai] minta Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri menyatakan:
A. Bila kerajaan akan mewujudkan jawatankuasa parlimen khas perjanjian perdagangan sebelum
meratifikasi TPPA, RCEP dan EU-Malaysia FTA
JAWAPAN: Pihak Kerajaan terlebih dahulu ingin merakamkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan kepada YB dan Ahli-Ahli
Yang Berhormat di atas cadangan yang dikemukakan untuk mewujudkan jawatankuasa Parlimen bagi perjanjian
perdagangan meraktifikasi TPPA, RCEP dan EU-Malaysia FTA atau di mana-mana Perjanjian Perdagangan Bebas.
Hasil dari cadangan YB Lembah Pantai, Kerajaan telah menubuhkan Kaukus Parlimen.
