The Case for TPP

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a multilateral trade agreement involving 12 countries which took five years and 22 rounds of negotiations to conclude. Many opposition member of parliaments and civil society representatives have criticized the secret nature of these talks as well as the agreement itself, for giving away too much in return for too little. The marathon talks wrapped up last October in the U.S., with the full text of the mammoth 6,000-plus page agreement released last December.

Today marks the beginning of a two-day special parliamentary session to discuss the TPP. Malaysia's chief negotiator in the TPP, Datuk J. Jayasiri, who is also the deputy secretary-general for strategy and monitoring at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, reminds us what is at stake for Malaysia.