BANGI, Sept 20- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has denied talk that US President Barack Obama is coming to Malaysia next month to sign the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).
“Some people are claiming that Obama is coming to Kuala Lumpur to ink the agreement. This will not happen,” he told a dialogue session with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) students Thursday.
Muhyiddin said the government still needed time to decide on the agreement as there were still many parties wanting to give their views on the agreement and they cannot be sidelined.
He said there was no set deadline for the government to make a decision on the agreement.
“The negotiations are still in progress. The International Trade and Industry Ministry is still conferring with many parties (before we make a decision),” he said. Twelve countries are participating in the negotiations.
This include meeting former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had said the “TPPA is something that is not beneficial to Malaysia.”
“We take Dr Mahathir’s views as something important. The government will give importance to whatever issues that are beneficial to Malaysia.
“This is what we are asking interest groups to make an analysis in terms of cost benefit to every sector being negotiated in the TPPA.
“Every aspect will be evaluated with regard to the nation’s benefit,” he said.
Muhyiddin said the government would reject the TPPA if the agreement threatened the country’s sovereign and independent rights.
“The right to determine Malaysia’s future cannot be dictated by outsiders.
“If matters favouring the country cannot be resolved through negotiations, then the government will have to make an appropriate decision,” he added.
– BERNAMA
