Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) condemns the urgent visit by US Trade Representative Michael Froman to meet the Malaysian Parliamentary Caucus today (July 13, 2015) at the JW Marriot Hotel in view to reconcile differences  and push through an agreement to accept the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).

The US trade representative has chosen to shamelessly ‘walk over the graves’ of the human trafficking victims, closing his eyes to the dismal human rights record of the Malaysian authorities to promote the TPPA talks.

As soon as President Barack Obama signed the Trade Promotion Authority to enable the fast track negotiations after getting approval from the US House and Senate, the US State Department quickly upgraded Malaysia to Tier 2 on the Watch List.  

It was only two months ago when the world was shocked by the uncovering of mass graves in the Malaysia-Thailand border area, revealing the dire truth about rampant human trafficking activities that have been operating for many years. The lack of enforcement and alleged corruption among border enforcement authorities have resulted in thousand trafficked by unscrupulous agents for huge profits.   

The situation clearly revealed the extent of trafficking activity in the region, including ransom killings by trafficking vultures.

After having classified Malaysia as Tier 3, the worst level of human trafficking centres in the view of the US State Department in terms of the severity of incidents of human trafficking, now the State Department has shamelessly upgraded Malaysia to Tier 2 of the watch list for the sole purpose of including Malaysia in the TPPA talks and concluding the trade deal as soon as possible.

PSM is convinced that this move by the US State Department and the visit by the US trade representative reinforce our argument that the TPPA is nothing but a cold-blooded trade deal to maximise profits and market control for the American corporations. Malaysia will be exposed to the severe implications of patent rights extensions, increase in cost of medicines, depleting labour rights and environmental destruction, if the TPPA is signed.

The true nature of the trade deal and the supremacy of corporate America to write the rules as they want are thus revealed. Pro-trade coherent rules will rule the region and the rights of sovereign nations will be undermined.

PSM is disgusted at Putrajaya’s attitude to shamelessly continue the trade talks. The Najib Abdul Razak administration should focus on improving its deplorable human trafficking record and end the TPPA negotiations with the US.

No to TPPA! No to corporate rule!

SIVARAJAN A is secretary-general, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).