TPPA will not undermine ASEAN unity, says Mustapa

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) will not undermine ASEAN unity as a single community, says Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

He said there had been much discussions within ASEAN to disseminate information on the challenges and opportunities offered by the TPPA.

"There is also a desire among those ASEAN members who are not as yet part of the TPPA to know more about the trade pact and we made a presentation to them in March during the ASEAN Economic Ministers meeting," he told reporters at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on ASEAN 2016 here Wednesday.

Mustapa was among the panelists at the forum and he said, another workshop will be held in the Philippines this year, to enable TPP countries in ASEAN to provide a greater understanding to those who are yet to be members of the pact.

He said the effort was part of the ASEAN commitment to continue integrating the regional economy in line with the 2016-2025 blueprint targeted at making the region a single economy.

The two-day forum has attracted 587 participants, including leaders of countries and captains of industry, particularly from Malaysia and the region.

The forum is a platform for birthing ideas and new policies that can help in the global economic recovery.