Group invites Zafrul to a dialogue session on CPTPP

Gabungan Kedaulatan Negara (GKN) urged International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz to attend a dialogue session held by civil society organisations (CSO) to clear the air on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Transpacific Partnership (CPTPP).

In a statement yesterday, GKN expressed concern over Zafrul's remark on Thursday, when the latter said the government would not reassess CPTPP’s impact on the country as Malaysia was committed to ratifying the free trade agreement.

"We have set an invitation to Zafrul to participate in a dialogue on the ratification of the CPTPP.

"In an interview with CNBC on Jan 5, Zafrul was reported to have said that while several groups have raised certain issues, the government had addressed them by taking actions to mitigate the concerns.

"However, the fact is that so far, there has been no detailed response from the ministry regarding the concerns raised by various CSOs and experts,” said the coalition.

Like his predecessor Azmin Ali, GKN pointed out that Zafrul had never directly answered various specific and factual concerns raised by critics of the CPTPP.

The group added that the memoranda submitted to each government (BN, Perikatan Nasional and present one) over the years highlighted that specific provisions and Malaysia’s commitments under the CPTPP, as a whole, would reduce the country's freedom to make and implement policies for the people’s benefit.

"It is to note that legally binding commitments under the CPTPP were last concluded in 2015.

“However, the world has changed drastically since then, but the cost and benefit analysis (CBA) published by the ministry in July last year clearly stated that the study assumes the world remains the same as in 2021 when the study was commissioned.

"This alone is a sufficient reason for a total review and reassessment of Malaysia’s participation in the CPTPP.

“In addition, the scope of CBA was also not comprehensive. We don’t understand how that can be used as a basis for the government to decide that CPTPP’s benefits far outweigh its costs," added the coalition.

As such, GKN had proposed Zafrul attend a dialogue session with CSOs on Jan 16 – or any date that would be convenient for the minister.

CPTPP is a free trade agreement that links Canada, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Malaysia ratified it on Sept 30, last year, less than two weeks before the then-prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolved the Parliament. The deal came into force 60 days later on Nov 30.

The previous administration said the deal is projected to increase trade to US$655.9 billion (RM2.8 trillion) by 2030.

Among others, the pact removes 95 percent of tariffs among its 11 member nations.

GKN, in a memorandum sent to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, urged the government to retract the country's ratification of the CPTPP.

GKN is a platform comprising 143 CSOs, economists, labour groups and experts.

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