Food security NGO expresses concern on CPTPP to Mat Sabu

 

Representatives of Malaysia Food Sovereignty Forum and other NGOs hand the memorandum to agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu (centre).

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysia Food Sovereignty Forum (MFSF) today handed a memorandum to agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu expressing concern over Malaysia’s participation and ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

MFSF head coordinator Nurfitri Amir Muhammad said there had been many memoranda and media statements made by farmers, livestock breeders and fishermen, and other NGOs in the past requesting the government not to ratify the free trade agreement in haste.

They claim Malaysia’s participation in CPTPP will have a huge negative impact on farmers, livestock breeders and fishermen as well as on food security and the sovereignty of Malaysians in the future.

MFSF, which advocates for agricultural policies and practices that guarantee food supply and the country’s sovereignty, claimed no impact assessment of the CPTPP on the nation’s food security has been conducted.

“The forum wishes to seek clarification on whether the agriculture ministry has carried out a detailed assessment regarding the CPTPP as the cost and benefit analysis issued by ministry of international trade and industry (MITI) does not directly examine the impact of CPTPP.

“But our voice is often portrayed by capitalists and open market advocates as baseless and unfounded. This memorandum will answer and unpack the malicious accusations with facts and references on the adverse effects CPTPP has on the country’s agriculture sector,” Nurfitri said.

He added this matter must be shared with the rakyat, and the concerns be brought to the Cabinet so that the CPTPP agreement can be reviewed for the benefit of farmers, fishermen, and livestock breeders as well as the nation’s food security.

Mohamad Sabu, or commonly known as Mat Sabu, told reporters he will listen to the forum’s explanation.

Asked why MFSF was approaching the agriculture ministry rather than MITI under Tengku Zafrul Aziz, he said: “It’s their right.”

The memorandum is endorsed by 54 organisations representing farmers, livestock breeders and fisherfolk, consumers associations, environmental, entrepreneurial, economic, social, human rights, health, religious, cultural and political organisations. - FMT