Anti-Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) lobby group Bantah TPPA today welcomed the government's decision not be bound by any timeline in inking the regional free-trade pact.

NONE In a statement issued today, the group's chief Mohd Nizam Mahshar said that the group lauded the government's assurance that the TPPA will only be signed on terms that are most favourable to the country.

The International Trade and Industries Ministry in a statement yesterday said that Malaysia will not be bound by any timeline to sign the agreement due to many unresolved issues.

The decision was made in a special cabinet meeting over TPPA yesterday.

"The cabinet's position that Malaysia would not agree to any proposal that would deny access to affordable medicine and healthcare is also an assurance that we take positively," Mohd Nizam, who is also the Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM) chief, said.

Fears of price hikes

But the group reminded that it would hold the cabinet "accountable" for the "promises and assurances" that it had made recently regarding the TPPA.

"We are concerned, moreover, that much of the promises and assurances remain just that until we get more information," Mohd Nizam said.

He said that the group needs to "see for itself" that the concerns and considerations have been incorporated into Malaysia's negotiating positions, and have been accepted by the other 11 countries involved in TPPA negotiations.

Anti-free trade pact activists have raised fears that TPPA will result in a dramatic hike in drug prices.