TPPA Provides Vast Market Access To Businesses

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 (Bernama) -- The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) will provide vast market access for businesses, especially state-owned enterprises (SOE), making them well-known in the 12 participating countries, as well as, other parts of the world. Employees Provident Fund (EPF) General Manager and Head Economics and Capital Market Department (Investment Division) Nurhisham Hussein said some of the local SOEs were already multinational companies. "The SOEs are now operating in other parts of the world and not just in Malaysia. And, being one of the government-linked investment companies, the EPF also gets its return for the people in Malaysia from foreign markets," he said during a talk on the TPPA here Thursday. Meanwhile, United States Trade Representative Michael Froman said the TPPA would benefit all 12 participating countries. "It would help Malaysia achieve its advance country target by 2020, grow per capita income and contribute significantly in terms of attracting investments in various sectors namely textile, electronics and services," he said. The TPP is a proposed regional regulatory and investment treaty involving twelve countries throughout the Asia Pacific region including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico and New Zealand. -- BERNAMA