US trade deal: Dr M urges PM to resign for 'jeopardising sovereignty'

Summary

• Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad claims the Malaysia-US trade agreement violates the Federal Constitution and jeopardises national sovereignty and the position of the Malay Rulers.

• A roundtable discussion led by Mahathir, political parties, and NGOs reached a consensus to reject the agreement and announced 12 joint resolutions, demanding Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his cabinet to resign.

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Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed the trade agreement between Malaysia and the US not only violates the Federal Constitution but also jeopardises the rights and sovereignty of the nation, including the position of the Malay Rulers.

According to Mahathir (above, left), the agreement signed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his government is one-sided and causes Malaysia to lose a large part of its freedom to determine its own policies and decisions.

“The agreement actually eradicates the nation's independence and freedom. We are forced to buy US$150 billion (RM 629 billion) worth of goods from the US, including 30 Boeing aircraft and US$3 billion (RM12.6 billion) worth of gas annually.

“There are many forms of compulsion against us: Even for making agreements with other countries, we must first refer to America,” he said after attending a roundtable discussion on the trade agreement between the United States and Malaysia, which included political parties and NGOs at the Perdana Leadership Foundation, Putrajaya, today.

Earlier, Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat that the trade agreement contains an exit clause that legally allows Malaysia to terminate or withdraw from the deal, and the matter had been scrutinised by the cabinet.

Contradicts Constitution

However, Mahathir rejected the explanation, claiming that almost all of the nation's trade revenue is now being used to purchase goods from the US, thereby limiting Malaysia's access to the global market.

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“We have lost the right to determine our own policies, whether the goods are good or not, cheap or expensive, we are forced to accept them,” he added.

He asserted that the government's action in signing the agreement contradicts the spirit of the 1957 independence and fundamental provisions in the Federal Constitution.

“What Anwar has done is against the Constitution. He does not have the right to mortgage the nation without a two-thirds approval from the members of the Dewan Rakyat.

“This can also affect the position of the Malay Rulers and the rights of the Malays as enshrined in Article 153 (of the Federal Constitution),” Mahathir said.

Twelve resolutions

He said the roundtable today also reached a consensus to reject the agreement and vowed to take appropriate steps to defend the nation's sovereignty. This was formalised in 12 joint resolutions.

“We all agree to reject this agreement and will take suitable steps to defend the nation’s sovereignty,” he said.

At the same press conference, Mahathir, along with several NGOs and political parties, announced their 12 joint resolutions to reject the agreement.

Among them, they asserted that the exit clause mentioned by Anwar is merely a deception that will not save Malaysia from the agreement's trap.

“The only exit clause now is for Anwar and his cabinet to take responsibility and resign,” the resolutions mentioned.

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