Anwar fails to draw large crowds at anti-TPPA event

Despite PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's presence, a ceramah against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) just hours ahead of a planned protest failed to draw a large crowd.

No more than 300 people came to lend their ears to the opposition leader last night, in contrast to the thousands or even tens of thousands during and shortly after the 13th general election campaign.

Nevertheless, the event's organiser Badrul Hisham Shaharin (right) is optimistic of a good turnout at this afternoon's protest at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

"I think there will be more people tomorrow. We need to understand that after the election, some activists have lost interest in ceramah.

"Many friends are saying that they won't be attending talks but they will be hitting the streets (for protests)," Badrul Hisham told Malaysiakini last night, when asked whether the poor turnout at the ceramah would be mirrored at today's protest.

The protest is slated for 2pm today, with demonstrators gathering at the As-Syakirin Mosque and then marching to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2013 venue.

Swinging the public around

It was originally organised in conjunction with US President Barrack Obama's first official visit to Malaysia, but Obama has since postponed his trip and is represented at the summit by his Secretary of State John Kerry.

Badrul Hisham, or better known as Chegubard, attributed last night's disappointing turn out to poor public awareness on TPPA and the weather.

Heavy rains and flash floods hit Kuala Lumpur yesterday afternoon, and it was still drizzling throughout the night's ceramah.

He said his NGO, Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), has no choice but to continue raising awareness on the TPPA after the protest.

"We will continue to distribute flyers; we will continue to issue statements about the TPPA until people understand.

"I have faith and confidence (in this) because we have met as many people as we can - whether pro-BN or pro-Pakatan Rakyat - and none of them think that TPPA is a good thing after we had explained it to them," Badrul Hisham said.

Earlier, Anwar in his speech argued that the TPPA goes against national interests and would only serve to enrich America's richest people - the so-called ‘one percent'.

He said that although Malaysia is a trading nation and needs free trade agreements, the terms of the TPPA are lopsided against Malaysia.

Replacing one lot with another?

"Yes, we are a trading nation. Yes, we need foreign direct investment. Yes, we need investments from America, China, India and throughout the world. Yes, it will benefit us. Yes, it will resolve part of our problems including problems with unemployment.

"But no, we will not sacrifice national interests. No, we will not submit to the dictates of any big country or superpower, including the USA.

"When it comes to agreements, we should negotiate as equals between the American president and the Malaysian prime minister," Anwar said.

He also joked that this would  be especially true if there was a new and more qualified prime minister, to an explosion of cheers and laughter from the crowd.

Anwar was apparently hinting at himself and the fact that his Pakatan coalition had garnered more popular votes than BN in the last general, although the latter formed the federal government by virtue of having more seats in Parliament.

The parliamentary opposition leader also said that TPPA makes American double standards obvious because while its draft trade agreements with the European Union had been made public, the contents of TPPA have been kept secret.

Earlier, other speakers including Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah and missionary group Ikram vice-president Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh told the audience that the terms of the TPPA and its negotiations are to be kept secret for four years after being endorsed.

Open for some, closed for others

Even lawmakers are in the dark over its contents, except from purportedly leaked documents and case studies of countries that have already signed free trade agreements with America, they said.

Meanwhile, Anwar also took a  poke at his former mentor Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has also voiced opposition to the TPPA.

He claimed that while he was objecting to the TPPA because of its unfairness, Mahathir and others were fending off American economic control so that they could replace it with that of their own children and cronies.

"If you reject TPPA but put a form of TPPA for Malaysians, it is just as bad. If you reject American control in Malaysia but you put your own children in control of Malaysia, what is the difference? Would you support this?" Anwar asked.

According to Badrul Hisham, Mahathir had been invited to speak at the ceramah but there was no response from the former prime minister.

Rain no deterrent to anti-TPPA protesters