With negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) entering the final rounds in Singapore, the federal government has come out with a denial that it plans to secretly sign the deal.

The controversial TPPA was still being negotiated, International Trade and Industries Minister Mustapa Mohamed told Sinar Harian, and he gave his pledge that Parliament would have the final say whether Malaysia signs the TPPA or not.

"After the negotiations are completed, the matter will be brought to Parliament for debate," Mustapa is quoted as saying. "Parliament will then decide whether we agree to sign the TPPA or not."

NONE The TPPA involves 13 countries, including the United States. Many have vehemently criticised the clandestine nature of the TPPA negotiations and a coalition known as Bantah TPPA has been set up to dissuade Putrajaya from inking the deal.

A ministerial level meeting on the TPPA will take place in Singapore from Dec 7 to 10, during which some people expect the 21-chapter trade agreement to be inked by the countries involved.

There have been growing protests against the TPPA as it threatens to jack up medicine costs and affect the labour, health and environmental laws of Malaysians.

Pakatan MPs, who sit on a parliamentary caucus on the TPPA, brought international trade experts to the country last month, who warned that signing the agreement would be equal to inviting lopsided billion-dollar corporate lawsuits .