Malaysia: Miti keeps TPP details “confidential” despite open day on pact

Putrajaya reiterated today it will not reveal details of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement due to a "confidentiality" clause despite hosting an open day to answer questions about the controversial 12-nation trade pact.

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) had launched the full-day event to calm tensions and answer criticisms about Malaysia's position in the trade pact but businessmen and traders expressed disappointment over its secrecy and worry about its implications.

TPPA lead negotiator Isham Ishak said the confidentiality clause was necessary as Malaysia had to respect the position of other countries negotiating the trade pact.

"Malaysia respects the principle which forbids revealing the negotiation texts as it contains the position of others in the talks and this is different from the WTO text," Isham told some 1,000 who turned up at the open day in the Matrade headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (pic) supported Isham's stand, saying nothing can be revealed until a final agreement.

"It hasn't been completed yet, cannot be revealed," Mustapa told The Malaysian Insider when asked if the details can be revealed.

The TPPA is an initiative to create a free trade area (FTA) among 12 countries with 800 million people worth trillions of dollars.

Malaysia had entered the TPPA negotiations at the third round of talks in Brunei in October 2010, with the latest series of talks held in Kota Kinabalu recently.

However, the entrepreneurs and businessmen met at the sector workshop have called it a wasted day as they still had many unanswered questions.

"We came here today with the hope of getting an explanation on the TPPA clauses but the answers we have received shows the opposite.

"They are not revealing anything but are keeping things from us," said Malaysian Class F Bumiputra Contractors Association president Tukiman Radion.

Film director Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba, who also attended the session, questioned if the TPPA was enforced, would the government be able to guarantee that the country's film industry will be taken care of as the gap between the industry in America and Malaysia was too great.

The local film industry was concerned  with the removal of barriers to foreign films if the TPPA was enforced.

"The US is a big player. When compared to them, we are far behind.

"If the TPPA is in place, will the local film industry be given importance or will we have to compete with the rest," Shuhaimi asked when met by The Malaysian Insider.

The controversial TPPA had received  much attention from many parties, including the civil society, non-governmental organisations and Pakatan Rakyat. The uproar caused Putrajaya to set up a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) with members from both sides of the divide to ensure that the opposition is well-informed about the deal.

Prior to this, Mustapa told Parliament that Malaysia can withdraw from joining the TPPA at anytime if the government did not agree with the results of the talks.

August 1, 2013

Source: The Malaysian Insider