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IDEAS and the Southeast Asia Network for Development
(SEANET) organised a public debate on the TPPA and Economic Liberalisation on
Saturday, 28 March 2015. The TPPA, Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, is a
free trade agreement that Malaysia is currently negotiating with eleven
countries including the United States of America, Mexico, Chile, Brunei
Darussalam, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan.
The debate featured Dr Razeen Sally, IDEAS Chair in
Political Economy and Governance, who argued for positive impacts of the trade
agreement and YB Charles Santiago, Member of Parliament from Klang, who argued
the opposite. Sharaad Kuttan of BFM moderated the debate.
The impact of trade agreement on the provision of health
care including the price of medicine and state’s sovereignty and ability to
protect its interest against companies is among topics that were hotly debated
on the forum.
YB Charles Santiago who argued against the TPPA
maintained his position that the trade agreement will impact negatively on the
price of medicine and the ability of the state to protect itself against
corporation. He mentioned cases of dispute between a tobacco company and
Australian government.
Dr Sally on the other hand, while having reservation on
some parts of TPP, argued that the trade agreement can help in inculcating
domestic culture of good governance through competition. Coupled with domestic
liberalisation and reform, the TPP can make Malaysia become more economically
competitive. On the impact of trade agreement on state sovereignty, he argued
that instead of assault to sovereignty, trade agreements are way for countries
to mutually agree to improve their economies and trade. Cases of dispute
between some countries with companies should not be used to make general points.
On concerns on the price of medicine, Dr Sally said that some of the problems
in medicine prices are related to domestic issues.
While the speakers differed in their evaluation of TPPA
benefits, both were concerned about the dismal state of Malaysia’s judiciary.
The questions posed by the audience touched not only
technical issues of the agreement, but also touched on some philosophical
questions such as who is more tyrannical: government or company?
In addition to posing questions to the speakers, the
audience also participated in the debate through casting their votes on whether
the TPPA and Economic Liberalisation is good or bad for Malaysia. The initial
votes before the debate resulted in 53% votes for good, 19% for bad, and 28%
are unsure. The second round of voting, after the debate, resulted in 68% voted
Good, 26% voted bad and the remaining 6% voted unsure.
Around 80 people attended the debate. Among them are
prominent individuals such as Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon, Former President or
Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, Dato’ Satinah Syed Salleh, Former
Director of Private Education Division at the Ministry of Education and Dato’
R. Thillainathan, Former CEO of Genting Berhad.
-------------See also:
Free Trade 42: ASEAN Trade and Unilateral Liberalization Challenge, January 23, 2015
Free Trade 43: On PH-Germany or PH-EU FTA, February 16, 2015
Free Trade 43: On PH-Germany or PH-EU FTA, February 16, 2015
Free Trade 44: The Gravity Model, March 06, 2015
Free Trade 45: Protectionism in Services, Peering at the ASEAN, March 12, 2015
AEC 5: Aviation, Telecom, Mobile Money and Retail in the ASEAN, March 23, 2015
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