Release TPPA interim report, Govt urged

0 views

Skip to first unread message

Anas Alam Faizli

unread,

Nov 18, 2014, 7:58:41 PM11/18/14

to tppa-malaysia

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1229901

17 NOV 2014

KUALA LUMPUR: The government should stop delaying the release of the interim report on the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), which was promised last year to the bipartisan Parliamentary Caucus on TPP.

Questioning the cause and motive for failing to release the interim report, Opposition MPs said, the government is not transparent and not serious about the concerns and grouses raised on TPP.

Wong Chen (DAP-Kelana Jaya) said that Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (pix), in response to his question, said only the final report will be presented in Parliament after the final round of trade negotiations of TPPA is completed.

"What is the use of presenting the final reports after the trade negotiations have been concluded?

"Logic demands that the reports should be available to guide us through the final stages of the negotiations," Wong told a press conference outside the Dewan Rakyat today.

Dr Xavier Jeyakumar (PSM-Sg Siput) earlier in the Dewan said that the minister should just bite the bullet and object to the agreement terms that are not beneficial to the public interest.

"The minister should not be afraid of the Cabinet or the prime minister and just state the objections clearly. We should explain to the people about this," he said in his debate on the Budget 2015.

Nurul Izzah (PKR-Lembah Pantai) said that despite being part of the Caucus, the interim reports have not been released to the committee.

She said the promise was made last year and to date there is no valid reason given on the delay.

Later, in his winding up speech, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Hamim Samuri said the questions on TPPA will be discussed in the Caucus and refused to answer in the Dewan.

This caused the Opposition MPs to fume and insist that the minister replies to the question.

"The Caucus has not been meeting for a long time," said Charles Santiago (DAP-Klang), who is part of the Caucus.

Mahfuz Omar slammed Hamim saying that he cannot refuse to answer the questions in Dewan because not all MPs are part of the Caucus.

"If only the Caucus members are privileged to know details of the TPPA negotiations, then what about the other MPs? The minister should reply in Dewan," he said, to which Charles and Khalid