It’s called MERITOCRACY mah!

Once we sign the TPPA then the NEP can be challenged. American companies can sue the Malaysian government if there is any special treatment for the Malays. As what Greenpeace New Zealand said, “Itgives special legal rights to foreign investors to sue our Government (or any future government) if New Zealand law is changed in a way they think undermines their profits.”

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

First read the three news items below by Harakah, SelangorKu and AFP. It appears like the anti-TPPA demonstration today was a PAS rather than a Pakatan Rakyat protest. It does not mention the attendance of the Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim or the attendance of any DAP or PKR leaders.

Secondly, why was this an anti-Malaysian government protest? And why is the Malaysian government being whacked? Is it not the United States government that is pushing this issue? Should Anwar, therefore, not be organising and leading an anti-US protest instead? Why is Anwar sparing the US while targeting the Malaysian government that is being bullied by the US?

The TPPA, an international trade agreement, is being propagated by the US. And the US is pushing countries like Malaysia to agree to it. Can Malaysia say no to the all-powerful US? And what will happen if Malaysia does say no? Will there be any retaliation against the country such as trade embargoes and whatnot?

The main bone of contention is that the terms of this trade agreement is being kept a secret. We are not being told what this agreement entails. Hence we do not really know what will happen to Malaysia if we sign the agreement. One thing we do know is that the agreement would definitely benefit the US. If it does not benefit the US then they would not be pushing for it.

Hence the target of these protests should be the US and not Malaysia. Anwar should organise and lead an anti-US protest and tell the US to back off. What the US wants to do is to end protectionism, which will allow US businesses to come into Malaysia and compete on a level playing field. And this would mean US companies would be able to grab all the businesses from the locals, in particular the Malays.

This would also mean the end of protectionism, which the non-Malays would like to see. In fact, the TPPA would be good for those who oppose the NEP or the preferential treatment that the Malays are receiving. Meritocracy would mean survival of the fittest. And this is what the non-Malays would like to see.

PAS is opposed to the TPPA. At least that is what Harakah reported. That means PAS wants protectionism to remain. So does this mean PAS also supports protectionism for the Malays? Does this also mean PAS wants Article 153 in the Constitution plus the NEP to remain?

There appears to be mixed-signals from the opposition. The TPPA is about meritocracy. One of the reasons why 97% of the Chinese voted opposition in May this year is because they are unhappy with protectionism. So is the opposition for or against protectionism? The signals are not too clear.

This what Greenpeace New Zealand said:

TPPA is a trade deal in name only. While it has many aspects of the average trade agreement, this one goes a lot further and sets up chilling constraints on how each country manages their domestic regulation.

All of the negotiations on the deal are secret but leaked documents have shown that within the agreement there are clauses that will allow overseas companies to sue the New Zealand Government. One in particular -- catchily known as the investor state dispute settlement -- gives special legal rights to foreign investors to sue our Government (or any future government) if New Zealand law is changed in a way they think undermines their profits.

If for example New Zealand wanted to introduce better legislation to clean up our rivers, limit the amount of waste we produce or reduce pollution, the TPPA will allow investors to challenge these decisions in offshore private tribunals with no public accountability but which potentially require compensation from the New Zealand taxpayer.

This would seriously hinder our ability to manage our own affairs. And it is not just environmental regulation that would be impacted. The TPPA’s tentacles also extend to things like workers rights, health care and intellectual property. In short our democracy and self-determination are all on the line.

In short, it is all about making more money for the Americans at the expense of the locals. In short, also, it is about ending protectionism and creating a free market. And if the opposition opposes this and wishes to maintain protectionism, what about the protectionism policy in favour of the Malays? Do we maintain this as well?

Once we sign the TPPA then the NEP can be challenged. American companies can sue the Malaysian government if there is any special treatment for the Malays. As what Greenpeace New Zealand said, “It gives special legal rights to foreign investors to sue our Government (or any future government) if New Zealand law is changed in a way they think undermines their profits.”

And is this not what many of you want? In that case should we not support the TPPA? Very confusing is it not?

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(Harakah) - PAS today urges the government to make public the content of Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) to stop all speculation and questions regarding the secretive trade deal.

In a protest in front of Al-Syakirin Mosque at KLCC today after the Friday prayer, the party vice president Salahuddin Ayub had called on Prime Minister Najib Razak to take note of the protest from the people on TPPA.

“We are here today representing Malaysians in opposing the TPPA and its implementation in the country. We urge Najib’s administration to reveal all the details of the agreement and this is important for the people to scrutinise the content and ‘tricks’ behind it,” Salahuddin told the audience who attended the rally.

The former Member of Parliament also lashed out at UMNO leaders’ silence on TPPA.

“UMNO always talks about country’s dignity and the economy but in this, they are muted without any urge to know the content of the agreement,” he said.

Salahuddin also advised UMNO leaders to take advantage of the upcoming party general assembly meeting later this month to demand Najib to pull out from TPPA talks.

Najib had earlier said it was unlikely that TPPA negotiations could be concluded this year and vowed to have the agreement debated in parliament before a final decision is made.

“We want to see a white paper on TPPA agreement… that’s the people’s right to know,” stressed Salahuddin.

Echoing Salahuddin, PAS economic advisor Dr Rosli Yaakop, who was also participated in the rally, demanded Malaysia to withdraw from the ongoing negotiations on TPPA.

Approximately more than 500 people attended the rally organised by BANTAH despite rain.

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(SelangorKu) - Sikap pemimpin Umno BN yang taat dengan arahan Amerika Syarikat (AS apabila bersetuju dengan Perjanjian Perkongsian Trans-Pasifik (TPPA) menyebabkan masa hadapan negara tergadai.

Ketua Umum PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, berkata ia menjadi semakin bermasalah apabila Datuk Seri Najib Razak bertemu dengan Presiden Barack Obama tahun lalu dan memberikan pengakuan menyokong TPPA.

“TPPA menunjukkan AS dan negara kaya tidak konsisten dalam rundingan, apabila dengan Eropah lebih telus dan terbuka dengan semua isi perjanjian dikemukakan, tetapi dengan Malaysia dilarang untuk umum,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam pidatonya semasa Program Bantah TPPA di Padang Kelab Sultan Sulaiman Shah di sini.

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(AFP) - Kerry had earlier met Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, seeking to further build on warming bilateral ties at a time when US commitment to Asia is under fierce scrutiny.

However Kerry made no mention in his speech of tensions in Malaysia focused on special government treatment for the country’s Malay majority.

Muslim Malays and smaller indigenous groups -- known as “bumiputra”, or  “sons of the soil” -- make up more than 60 percent of Malaysia’s 28 million people.

Under the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), bumiputra have enjoyed quotas in university placements, housing, and government jobs and contracts since the 1970s to prevent the ethnic Chinese from completely dominating the economy.

Chinese make up a quarter of the population. Ethnic Indians comprise about eight percent.

The policies are credited with helping create a Malay middle class and maintaining harmony despite tensions.

But critics say they have become a millstone in a competitive global economy and are abused by the Malay elite.