Azmin claims Guan Eng twists facts on CPTPP ratification
International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali accuses Lim Guan Eng of "twisting" the facts in regard to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
In Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Azmin said the cabinet, during the Pakatan Harapan administration, endorsed the ratification of the free trade agreement on Sept 5, 2018, after the previous BN government inked CPTPP with ten other countries on March 8, 2018...
International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali accuses Lim Guan Eng of "twisting" the facts in regard to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
In Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Azmin said the cabinet, during the Pakatan Harapan administration, endorsed the ratification of the free trade agreement on Sept 5, 2018, after the previous BN government inked CPTPP with ten other countries on March 8, 2018.
Lim, who is the former finance minister, disputed the statement, saying that the cabinet under the Harapan government did not agree with the ratification for fear of foreign interference in domestic trade and affairs.
He had asked Azmin to review the latest cabinet's decision on the matter.
In a statement today, Azmin reiterated that his statement was based on the cabinet's decision on Sept 5, 2018, which agreed for Malaysia to ratify the CPTPP with no timeframe to do so.
"Several cabinet discussions ensued concerning CPTPP throughout 2019 and early 2020 to evaluate Malaysia's readiness to complete the domestic process, notably in finalising the amendments of laws identified towards ratifying the CPTPP.
"The cabinet under the Harapan administration had never decided to reject CPTPP as claimed by Lim.
"Therefore, his statement is confusing and came with ill intention to twist the real facts," Azmin said, adding that he would let the speaker take appropriate action against Lim.
In November 2019, the then international trade and industry minister Darell Leiking said the government would only ratify after the government was very certain that it would benefit the nation.
In November last year, Bernama reported that the cabinet would make a final decision on whether to ratify CPTPP.
The 11 countries of the CPTPP pact form a trading bloc representing 13.5 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product.
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