PERTUBUHAN bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang dikenali sebagai Bantah TPPA mendakwa Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (Miti) berkompromi terhadap beberapa perkara yang dibincangkan dalam mesyuarat perjanjian Perkongsian Trans-Pasifik (TPP) di Salt Lake City, Amerika Syarikat dan Singapura, baru- baru ini.
Pengerusi Bantah TPPA, Mohd Nizam Mahshar berkata, maklumat itu diperoleh dari dokumen bocor yang menunjukkan bahawa kumpulan perunding membawa topik dalam perbincangan dan menyatakan beberapa perkara dikompromi.
Menurutnya, perkembangan mesyuarat di Salt Lake City, Amerika Syarikat dan Singapura menunjukkan kepentingan negara diperdagangkan.
“Antaranya ialah isu tembakau dikompromikan padahal sebelum ini Malaysia berpendirian tembakau dikeluarkan daripada perjanjian TPP. Kami mendesak Miti mendedahkan pendirian mengenai 75 isu tidak boleh dikompromi yang diketengahkan sebelum ini,” katanya pada sidang media, semalam.
Mohd Nizam berkata, ketua perunding yang mewakili Malaysia gagal mempertahankan kepentingan negara seperti mana yang dijanjikan sebelum ini.
“Perundingan menteri-menteri di Singapura, melalui satu maklumat kita terima dan laporan media antarabangsa menyatakan bukan sahaja ada kompromi beberapa isu diperbincangkan dan dipersetujui tetapi Amerika Syarikat telah mengetengahkan cadangan yang lebih membahayakan negara.
“Kita minta kerajaan beri jawapan yang jelas kepada isu ini dan tindakan sewajarnya harus dilaksanakan,” katanya.
Mohd Nizam berkata, Bantah TPPA kecewa terhadap Miti kerana (tindakan) berbeza daripada janji- janji mereka sebelum ini untuk menjaga kepentingan nasional.
“Kerajaan perlu menjelaskan mengenai perkara tersebut,” katanya.
Dipetik dari - Sinar Harian
Has MITI gone ‘soft’ on TPPA?
Alyaa Azhar
Bantah TPPA questions the International Trade and Industry Ministry for 'reneging' on its promise to safeguard the country's interests.
PETALING JAYA: Coalition against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), Bantah TPPA, today expressed its disappointment with the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) on its softened position over several crucial matters in the agreement.
Bantah TPPA chairman Mohd Nizam Mahshar in a press conference today said Miti has allowed the nation’s interests and sovereignty to be compromised following the latest TPPA negotiations, which is contrary to its previous promises to safeguard the nation’s interests.
For one, Malaysia has agreed to negotiate on the matter of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), better known as government-linked companies (GLCs).
Malaysian chief negotiator J Jayasiri was recently quoted to have said that the country has started its engagement on the SOE negotiations.
Nizam, however, stressed that rules contained in the TPPA will curb Malaysia’s SOE activities which will cripple the country’s economy and social development.
Disciplines likely to be contained in the agreement would mean that the government cannot support its SOEs and as a result, many SOEs will face difficulties to remain economically viable.
Present SOEs in Malaysia include Petronas, Sime Darby, Tenaga Nasional, Telekom and Malaysia Airlines (MAS).
Nizam also questioned Miti’s weakened stand on the proposed complete tobacco carveout.
In the ministerial round in Singapore, Malaysia had tabled a revised proposal on the issue that takes out tariff from the complete carveout being demanded.
This is in contrary to the Health Ministry’s position that the carveout should be complete and total.
“What are the reasons for this sudden change to the carveout proposal? Has the Health Ministry given its consent to such a revision?
“Or has Miti taken over the role of the Health Ministry as the lead agency for health and tobacco?” asked Nizam.
He also noted how Malaysia has agreed to the investor state dispute settlement (ISDS), despite its earlier stand that the government is seeking alternatives to the ISDS.
According to recent reports, Malaysia is now only asking for minor safeguard in ISDS, proposing to reserve the right to screen future investments.
“What happened to the government’s assurances that recognised the dangers of ISDS and was seeking alternatives to the system?” queried Nizam.
He also expressed disappointment, saying the engagement process with Miti thus far has been nothing but a facade.
“We urge Miti to make public the positions it has assumed on key issues after the recent negotiations in Salt Lake City and the ministerial round in Singapore.
“If the answers are not forthcoming or unsatisfactory, we maintain our position that Malaysia should walk away from the TPPA negotiations,” he said.
Dipetik dari - Free Malaysia Today
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