The International Trade and Industry Ministry has been urged to clarify Malaysia's stand on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) should Republican frontrunner Donald Trump win the 2016 US presidential election in November.

Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (Independent-Bandar Tun Razak) said at the Dewan Rakyat today that Malaysia would not benefit with the ebullient billionaire helming the US administration, especially in the TPPA.

"Trump has said that he is not in favour of the US signing the TPPA as it would not benefit the US.

"I hope the minister (Mustapa Mohamed) could clarify what Malaysia's strategy would be if the US had a president such as Donald Trump who would focus on the domestic economy and disregard other economies," the former Selangor menteri besar said at the debate session.

Besides Trump, US presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have also criticised the TPPA in their campaigns, saying it would harm the world's biggest economy.

Trump has also urged that a wall be built along the US-Mexico border to keep Mexican migrants out.

Besides Malaysia and the US, the TPPA involves Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Japan, Peru, Canada, Vietnam, Singapore and Brunei.

All 12 countries are completing domestic procedures to ratify the trade deal, which was signed on Feb 4.

Khalid said Malaysia would not lose if it did not have a free trade agreement (FTA) with the US as the country's dependence on international trade with the US is declining.

"Even without an FTA with the US and we open trade to other countries including in Asean, which has great potential, we can still survive and progress.

“We have to make preparations to face a future situation (if Trump wins the presidential election)," he said.

- Bernama