A coalition of 37 NGOs led by Bantah TPPA has urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak not to concede any ground on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement as US president Barack Obama begins his three-day visit to Malaysia yesterday.
 
"Bantah TPPA urges the prime minister to stay strong and make no promises to President Obama until we are in agreement and reassured that Malaysia will benefit from the TPPA, using the Fast Track thus disallowing it from being changed by US politicians simply to benefit their greed," it said in a statement yesterday.
 
The Fast Track authority refers to the US president's power to negotiate international agreements which then have to be approved or rejected by congress without any changes t it.
 
The coalition said it is concerned that Malaysia will make concession on the TPPA in exchange for US' help to bolster the country's security.
 
"We worry that Obama will capitalise on the current Flight MH370 tragedy and the Sabah kidnapping incidents to stress the importance of US intervention the regions security.
 
Security enhancement offers will be made as a trade-off to TPPA contentious issues. 
 
"Obama will seek to get our Prime Minister’s nod for the TPPA, in view of possibly concluding it at APEC Ministerial meeting in China in May,2014," they said.
 
They also called on International Trade and Industry Ministry Mustapa Mohamed to allow NGOs to be more involved in the trade negotiations instead of unproductive "show and tell sessions".
 
"We also ask him to be more transparent by releasing the reports related to this matter to the public, who are the stakeholders of the TPPA.
 
"And also keep to his word of letting civil society take part in the discussion with the lead negotiators to ensure that Malaysia’s sovereignty and way of life is not threatened by the signing of this agreement," they said.
 
The coalition is a rare coming together of right-wing and left-wing groups which have often been at odds with each other.
 
Among the groups are NGOs such as the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM), Pertubuhan-Pertubuhan Pembela Islam (Pembela), Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) and Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly HAll (KLSCAH).