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PM: TPPA has given bumi agenda international recognition
Published:  Feb 5, 2016 4:00 PM
Updated: Feb 6, 2016 12:29 AM

Malaysia's signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) yesterday means that the bumiputera agenda is now internationally recognised, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said today.

This, Najib said, was because Putrajaya successfully negotiated for the bumiputera agenda to be included in the TPPA, which Malaysia and 11 other countries signed in New Zealand yesterday.

"I pledge and stress here, once again, that the government will always place the people first in the TPPA.

"This is reflected by the fact that the government negotiated for the bumiputera agenda to be included in the TPPA and, indeed, we were successful in doing so.

"It is now not just nationally recognised – it is internationally recognised and protected.

"This shows that Malaysia has fought for and won a good deal for our people," Najib added in his blog posting.

Transparent approach to TPPA

He said his government had faced criticisms that were "clearly politically motivated and blinded with emotions" in the run-up to the signing of the TPPA.

However, the prime minister said, Putrajaya has, from the beginning, taken a transparent and democratic approach to the TPPA.

"Countless consultations were held with the rakyat, the key economic stakeholders, policymakers and experts from various fields through the negotiation phases and in the run-up to the ratification of the TPPA," he said.

Najib said his government is committed to protecting the interests and sovereign rights of Malaysians.

If Malaysia is to progress, the country must embrace competition, not fear it.

"And I truly believe that we, Malaysians, stand to gain far more with greater market access under the TPPA – a trade pact that many neighbouring countries are now looking to participate in too," he said.

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