International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed, who had just signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Auckland, New Zealand, is undoubtedly the man of the hour for Malaysia.

Notable is the minister's perseverance in getting the buy-in for the TPPA which culminated in Malaysia joining 11 other Pacific Rim nations in signing what is potentially the world's largest trade pact today.

This has been no easy task, taking into account the vehement protests and criticisms even as late as last week when the TPPA text was debated over two days at Parliament before finally getting a majority vote for the agreement.

Mustapa, 65, has worked tirelessly - displaying a high level of commitment in selling the TPPA to the country through town hall sessions, seminars, interviews and news articles to convince a sceptical public.

Among the stinging criticisms hurled against the government was that it was selling out the country to developed countries which in the process will, among others, trample upon bumiputera rights.

But Mustapa had always maintained in negotiations through Malaysia's TPPA chief negotiator J Jayasari, that bumiputera rights, state-owned enterprises as well as government procurement would not be compromised.

Armed with a first-class honours degree in economics from the University of Melbourne and a Master's in Economic Development from Boston University, Mustapa has always been well-placed to avoid strategic miscalculation under the TPPA.

Kudos should also go to his team in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) in publicising the cost-and-benefit analyses on the voluminous trade agreement.

Miti has been very transparent, with the minister consistently insisting that the government recognised that there were costs that have to be borne, but the benefits outweighed them.

Five years of hard work was put to the test when the Dewan Rakyat debated the TPPA last Tuesday and Wednesday, something which Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had insisted from the very beginning to get a buy-in.

And when Parliament approved the motion on the TPPA with 127 votes for and 84 against, an elated Mustapa must have surely heaved a sigh of great relief.

This was because it brought a successful closure to what could have been his most difficult and challenging task in his entire political career.

Reading the TPPA text itself is a challenge for it comprises 30 legal chapters that cover trade and trade-related issues that goes beyond providing market access to goods, services and investment.

It is projected to increase Malaysia's gross domestic product by US$107 billion (about RM443 billion) to US$211 billion (about RM875 billion) over 2018-2027.

Investments are set to increase by US$136 billion to US$239 billion, driven by higher investment growth in textiles, construction and distributive trade.

During the parliamentary debate on the TPPA, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng did praise the government's effort in bringing the TPPA to Parliament and Mustapa's expertise in handling the issue.

Lim had said: "We give credit (to the minister) for the expertise and for the willingness (of the government) to hold this special session. I hope it will become a practice."

Despite his quiet disposition, Mustapa, who is also BN Member of Parliament for Jeli, must be commended for his conscientious work, especially over the past five years in signing the TPPA for Malaysia and having done excellent national service for the country in the process.

– Bernama