Malay business council slams 'secrecy' over Trans-Pacific deal

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) has been criticised for allegedly refusing to reveal information on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) talks.

The Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM) had walked out of a consultation meeting with the ministry yesterday in protest over this point.

Describing it as a ‘diplomatic walkout’, MTEM chief executive officer Mohd Nizam Mahshar said in report in malaysiakini.com today, the two-hour meeting was cut short to 90 minutes.

MTEM has expressed concern the TPPA, a free trade agreement that includes, among others, Australia, Canada and the United States would threaten local small- to medium-scale enterprises and expose Malaysia to lopsided trade conditions.

The TPPA discussions involve 11 big economies: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States and Viet Nam.

With the entry of Japan in July, there will be 12 countries and the talks are expected to see substantial conclusion probably by end of October this year. The next round of negotiations on the TPPA will start on July 15.

Despite MITI claiming that it has consulted stakeholders in the negotiations, MTEM complained there were no real consultation and information about the FTA were not disclosed.

"MITI insists that it has consulted the industry, but what do you mean by consultation? If the text (of the deal) is not revealed, then consultation cannot be done,” said Mohd Nizam.

"Even if they cannot provide the text, they should at least give us the substance of what is being negotiated," he said, questioning why MITI is keeping such information “confidential”.

"This is not an issue about Malay businesses, and just small and medium businesses, it is a national issue," he said, pointing out the lengthening of intellectual property rights under such agreements mean that generic medicine could not be sold, thus increasing the cost of medication.

MTEM had previously presented a 16-point demand to Miti which included a thorough economic and social impact study of the TPPA, a guarantee the cost of living would not spike as a result of the agreement and international trade laws would not supersede Malaysian laws.

MTEM said this was the second round of meeting with the ministry, the first was with the Minister Dato' Seri Mustapa Mohamed.