Former Umno minister Rafidah Aziz says the people should not politicise the issue of the just-concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).

"If we don't politicise it, I tell you, it (TPPA) will be beneficial," Rafidah said in her special address at the Malaysian Legal and Corporate Conference 2015 in Kuala Lumpur today.

"If outsiders start politicising it, you'll be tying the government's hands. Don't do that," she added.

The officers sent to negotiate the agreement on Malaysia's behalf are professionals, not politicians, Rafidah said.

As professionals, they know the 'facts and figures' of the issues at hand and would be able to negotiate better.

"They're doing this for the good of the country," she said.

Rafisah said she believes the TPPA negotiations had been done in good faith.

"Who wants to open up the country to be trampled on by anybody? No way. But if you give the space for the government to negotiate what we want and at the same time, offer to open up certain sectors rationally, why should we worry?" she asked.

'Need access to bigger markets'

The TPPA must be viewed through an objective lens, she reiterated, without bringing in any extraneous or irrelevant matter.

The Malaysian market is a small one, she reminded, and anything that opens up a bigger market for the country will be a good thing.

"Don't forget, we are a small country. When you have access to a bigger market, provided you meet certain demands of others and others meet your demands, wow, it's what we need," Rafidah told reporters at a press conference later.

As long as the benefits of the TPPA far outweigh the cost of it, she said, there should be no reason to get upset about it.

"There is no such thing as a win-win situation. There is only win some, lose some.

"Anyway, the government always does cost-benefit analyses. If the cost is small compared to the gains and benefits, why make a furore out of it?" Rafidah questioned.