The government will soon undertake a cost benefit analysis of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) to safeguard the interests of national, small-and-medium enterprises and the bumiputera business community.

International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed said the first meeting will be held after ministry officials return from the 19th round of the TPPA in Brunei, which began last week.

“This study will evaluate overall terms of reference, we hope it will be completed within two or three months and the results will be made public.

“Our standpoint is to continue negotiating in the TPP while at the same time continue ensuring that Malaysia’s sovereignty is defended in the course of the negotiations," he told reporters at the ministry’s networking session in Kuala Lumpur today.

Mustapa said the government would continue to engage with the public and the bipartisan parliamentary caucus on TPP to receive feedback and inputs.

“We will conduct more public engagement and ensure that the government’s position is in line with national interest. We will not be signing the agreement if something is not in the national interest,” he said.

Asked to comment on some TPP member states, like the United States, which hoped to finalise negotiations by year-end, Mustapa said that was the position of some countries but Malaysia also had its own position and was not bound by any fixed timeline.

“If there are still a lot of standing issues to be resolved, of course, it cannot be done within that period.

“If the cost benefit analysis indicates that it is not in our interest then definitely we will take serious note of the study,” he said.

- Bernama