Malaysian Government Will Lean On Parliament's Decision On TPPA

KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government will lean on Parliament's decision to determine the country's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed said the government was currently conducting a cost-benefit analysis, expected to be completed in July. "It would be a mockery if the government does not take the views of Parliament into account," he said to a supplementary question from a Member of Parliament (MP) at the Malaysian Lower House of Parliament (Dewan Rakyat) here Wednesday. The TPPA is a free trade agreement currently being negotiated by Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, South Korea, United States and Vietnam. Responding to the original question from another MP the TPPA, Mustapa said the government's decision to raise the TPPA, a controversial issue, in parliament was unprecedented. He said it was for members of parliament to obtain feedback on the TPPA from their constituents and convey them in parliament. He said 12 countries had been involved in the TPPA negotiations since 2010 and among the issues being studied by the government were the question of sovereignty and government procurement with regard to Bumiputera interest. Other aspects include small and medium industries, intellectual property, labour and environment, said Mustapa. Bumiputera is a Malaysian term to describe the Malay race and other indigenous peoples of Southeast Asia, and used particularly in Malaysia. --BERNAMA