The trade union of national carrier Malaysian Airlines has joined the call for the next round of United States-Malaysia talks on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to be terminated.

"We are greatly disappointed with the move and remarks made by (Deputy US Trade Representative) Karan Bhatia," the Malaysian Airlines System Employees' Union (Maseu) executive secretary Mustafar Maarof said in a statement today.

"Bhatia is not only undermining the government and the bumiputeras. Instead he took advantage of his presence here to teach the Malaysian government how to conclude the fifth round talk on the FTA," he said.

The visiting US official said yesterday that a failure of the free trade talks will send wrong signals that the two countries "were not open for business" and warned there could be a significant fallout if the two sides failed to strike a deal.

Maseu voiced concerns on issues of fundamental worker rights and labour standards evolved from the free trade talks.

"All such trade agreement talks must be transparently open to the public, trade unions and civil society organisations must be consulted," the union added.

Fourth round concluded

The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations, together with the Malaysian Trades Union Congress have voiced opposition to the free trade talks unless respective governments adequately address the deteriorating state of workers' rights.

Malaysian and US negotiators concluded the fourth round of negotiations less than two weeks ago in San Francisco.

Washington wants to conclude negotiations on the FTA by the end of March, in time to present the deal to Congress before the president's fast-track Trade Promotion Authority expires on July 1.

However International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz has said she doubts the negotiations will meet the deadline, with talks bogged down in sensitive areas including the services sector, investment and government procurement.

The US is seeking access to lucrative Malaysian state contracts, which favour the country's majority ethnic Malays and indigenous groups, or "bumiputeras" as they are known.

Opposition to the FTA has been growing among Malaysian activists who say the talks lack transparency and that livelihoods could be damaged by possible concessions to the US.