SHAH ALAM – PR menyuarakan kekecewaan berikutan perjanjian Perkongsian Trans Pasifik (TPP) tidak tertakluk pengawasan Parlimen.

Naib Presiden PKR, Nurul Izzah Anwar berkata, perkara itu diketahui PR semasa mengadakan pertemuan dengan wakil Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (Miti) baru-baru ini.

“Walaupun kami menghargai rundingan yang dianjurkan oleh Miti, tetapi kami masih tidak berpuas hati bahawa pada hakikatnya TPP itu tidak tertakluk kepada pengawasan Parlimen.

“Rangka kerja undang-undang TPP yang menyeluruh itu boleh menyebabkan undang-undang domestik terpaksa akur dengan meletakkan syarikat-syarikat multinasional di atas jika tidak setara dengan kedudukan kerajaan,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan bersama yang turut melibatkan Ahli Parlimen Klang, Charles Santiago; Ahli Parlimen Kelana Jaya, Wong Chen; Pengarah Pusat Penyelidikan dan Pembangunan Pas, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad dan mewakili Institut Rakyat, Azrul Azwar.

Nurul Izzah berkata, PR mencadangkan agar ditubuhkan Jawatankuasa Terpilih Parlimen (PSC) bagi pantau perkara itu secara khusus.

“Kami tetap komited memperjuangkan ketelusan dan penglibatan awam yang lebih tinggi dalam semua aspek TPP. Kami juga mahu sebuah Jawatankuasa Terpilih Parlimen dwi-partisan mengenai TPP ditubuhkan dengan segera,” katanya.

http://www.sinarharian.com.my/politik/pr-gesa-tubuh-psc-pantau-secara-khusus-1.173186

Thousands of Malaysians voted abroad during the 13th general election. Many more returned from Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, London and Taiwan, traditionally places with large numbers of Malaysians, to exercise their right to suffrage on May 5th.

This is a peculiar phenomenon.

Why do Malaysians who have found greener pastures abroad feel compelled to return to the country to cast their ballot? This certainly goes against the thesis of Albert O. Hircshman — who argued in a famous treatise in 1970 that when people have the chance to leave, they will, especially if they have found the entity to be increasingly dysfunctional and inefficient.

Malaysia, or rather its government, over the last few decades, has certainly manifested such features.

Concurrently, those who decided to ‘stay back’ would attempt to improve the country by voicing out. Be that as it may, those who have left the country are not expected to express their voices anymore let alone to vote. Yet, vote they did.

The quick and short answer to the above phenomenon is that they care. Indeed, not only do they care about the future of their immediate and extended families still in Malaysia, but they care about Malaysia, period.

And that is where Malaysia draws its greatest pride from — Malaysians and their sense of belonging, of camaraderie.

Beyond caring, they also know, through their collective exposure in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, if not as far away as United Kingdom, Japan and Australia, that Malaysia has been back-pedaling, especially on issues like corruption and crime let alone in building a vibrant democracy.

Take corruption, for example. The national debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio at 54 per cent, it is one per cent shy of the constitutional limit; and this figure is a conservative estimate. When one lumps in the debt of the government linked companies (GLCS), often with the element of corruption still at work, the ratio is easily in the range of the mid-70s.

While many do not like to use the B word (i.e. bankruptcy), the next generation is expected to foot the financial profligacy of the present one. Malaysians abroad share the same concern and anxieties with those at home.

Not surprisingly, up 75 to 85 per cent of the voters abroad, almost without fail, voted for the opposition according to exit polls.

Like the 51 per cent of the people in Malaysia, they chose to throw their lot with Pakatan Rakyat, this despite the fact that Pakatan Rakyat did not have any offices or representatives outside the country.

In fact, one may even wonder if they did so purely to register their disgust with Barisan National, rather than due to any objective attachment to Pakatan Rakyat; a trend that was discernible across all racial groups in urban areas from 2008 onwards.

Even in rural places ostensibly ‘won’ by the government, the establishment is not out of the woods, if ever they can be, due to their indulgent attitude to corruption and sheer exploitation of the natural resources that impacts rural communities directly.

My PAS colleague, Dr Dzukefly Ahmad, noted in a Malay op-ed that of the 11 constituencies with Dayak majority in Sarawak, all of them had experienced a dip of 10 per cent or more in the votes for the government.

This is unprecedented in areas that are customarily the vote banks of the state government. Thus, if Sabah and Sarawak are the ‘fixed deposit’ of the government, the yield is only decreasing, not enlarging.

Yet, this election, has allowed a minority government to be in Putrajaya, the seat of the Malaysian government. Like many in the country and abroad, the opposition is not so much shocked as it is outraged by the ‘enforced limitations’ of the electoral system; some of which are now being legally challenged by Pakatan Rakyat.

The limitations were ‘enforced’ because the Electoral Commission, which was under the Prime Minister’s Office, failed to reform the electoral system in the more than four years available ahead of the recent 13th general election, the ‘disappearing’ indelible ink fiasco included.

Electoral reforms were all the more imperative after repeated rounds of feedbacks from non-governmental groups like Bersih I, II, III, Tindak and Transparency International. But, whether by design or default, they chose to sit tight indifferent to the loud calls for free and fair elections. Even to the extent of allowing tainted electoral rolls to remain on the register, especially in my constituency that is Lembah Pantai.

In moments like these, it is easy to hate the arbitrary nature and high-handedness of the ruling government too. This is all the more the case when the ruling establishment, once again, is showing signs of attempting to remain in power on the sly.

Instead of seeking ‘national reconciliation’ advocated by the Prime Minister, the very first things that the Ministry of Home Affairs and Inspector General Police did was to arrest opposition figures and dissidents. A dragnet was imposed on those who spoke out against the unfairness of the election.

Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, the co-chairperson of Bersih, was right to affirm that “the government has been using words (such as national reconciliation), which it doesn’t even understand”; this when the Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is also a patron to a Global Movement of Moderates Foundation (GMMF) whose rhetoric is not even echoed by his own immoderate party at home.

But Malaysians near and abroad must not fall into the temptation of blind hate, just as I am reminding myself too. To do so would be to stoop to the level of extreme jingoistic and mirror the narrative of such rabid malicious press like Utusan Malaysia – the UMNO mouthpiece.

On the other hand, Pakatan Rakyat’s demand for substantive action such as the immediate removal of the Election Commission’s leadership before participating in the Prime Minister’s offer of a Parliamentary Select Committee to manage the Election Commission, which now falls under the Prime Minister’s Department will test the government’s readiness for reforms.

Indeed, revamping the Electoral Commission is urgently needed, especially on boundary redelineation which have to be completed over the next two years which once again will determine the next election’s fairness.

Beyond electoral petitions and all, the opposition has to govern well in Selangor and Penang, too, without which they would not be able to arrest the growing skepticism of politicians emerging through out the country.

Pakatan Rakyat will continue to push for legislative reform in Parliament, as we have done since Malaysians gave us their mandate. The opposition mandate is to stay vigilant, alert and efficient, even as it is confronting a set of legal electoral challenges. Failure is not an option in the face of an increasingly hawkish and change-resistant minority government of Barisan National.

Indeed our march of history towards democracy will go on even if it is slightly bumpy, facing temporary roadblocks. For a mandate is still a mandate and should be the fodder for continued fortitude, determination and sacrifice for greater democracy in Malaysia.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/the-oppositions-new-mandate-nurul-izzah-anwar/

PERTEMUAN BERSAMA MITI BERMULA DENGAN PENDEDAHAN TERHAD

Pada Jumaat lepas, 14 Jun 2013, kami bertemu dengan wakil-wakil Kementerian Perdagangan dan Jabatan-jabatan lain berkait yang diketuai oleh Dato’ Rebecca Sta Maria, KSU Kementerian serta salah seorang perunding utama bagi Perjanjian Perkongsian Trans-Pasifik (TPPA), Encik J. Jaya Siri.
Mesyuarat ini berlangsung hanya sehari selepas rundingan yang gagal antara MITI dan Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi Melayu (MTEM). Walaupun kami menghargai jemputan oleh MITI yang melibatkan pihak yang berkepentingan , terutamanya ahli-ahli Parlimen serta Pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat , kami kecewa dengan hakikat bahawa perjanjian TPPA tidak tertakluk kepada pemantauan serta pengawasan parlimen.

Sehubungan itu , rakyat Malaysia terpaksa berhadapan dengan kekangan dalam memastikan hak-hak sosio-ekonomi dan kedaulatan negara dihormati dan dilindungi. Rangka kerja undang-undang TPPA yang menyeluruh mampu menyebabkan undang-undang domestik terpinggir manakala pada masa yang sama meletakkan syarikat-syarikat multinasional di kedudukan yang setara dengan negara-negara berdaulat.

Ternyata, pelbagai isu telah di usul semasa perbincangan, yang terdiri daripada isu kawalan kerajaan ke atas pasaran kewangan, penyelesaian pertikaian antara pelabur-negeri (ISDS), harga farmaseutikal dan perubatan, serta kebimbangan umum terhadap kurangnya ketelusan dan maklumat TPP tentang pernyataan rundingan . Semasa dialog itu yang berlangsung selama sejam, perkara yang telah dibangkitkan khususnya:

1) Analisis Kos-Faedah (CBA) pada TPPA
MITI mengakui kewujudan kertas CBA dibentangkan kepada Kabinet pada tahun 2010, iaitu 2010 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) laporan yang telah ditugaskan oleh Kerajaan Malaysia. Dalam perkembangan yang sedikit positif, kami telah dijanjikan dengan satu salinan laporan dalam masa dua minggu walaupun dilucutkan daripada jawatan berunding.

2) Kawalan Kewangan dan Kebebasan
MITI memberi jaminan lisan bahawa tiada kerugian atau pencabulan hak kedaulatan Malaysia untuk melaksanakan dasar-dasar ekonomi dan kawalan modal dengan menandatangani TPPA itu. Walau bagaimanapun, pendedahan terbaru di dalam pernyataan rundingan Australia tentang kawalan modal, wujudnya sebarang peruntukan yang terkandung di dalam FTA yang lain dan telah ditandatangani oleh Amerika Syarikat memaksa kita untuk kita terus kekal bersedia supaya hak tersebut tidak hilang.

Selain itu, tiada maklumat pada semua rangka kerja mengenai pengurusan mengeksploitasi, penerokaan dan pembangunan hidrokarbon negara masing-masing dan sumber mineral. Ia sesuatu yang penting untuk meredakan kebimbangan dan tidak membenarkan syarikat asing untuk mendesak hak mendapatkan sumber semula jadi kita berdasarkan terma-terma TPPA itu.

3) Kos Kesihatan
Berhubung dengan hak harta intelek untuk farmaseutikal, kami diberitahu oleh MITI dan Kementerian Kesihatan bahawa mereka menyasarkan untuk mencari keseimbangan antara menggalakkan inovasi dan memastikan ubat-ubatan yang berpatutan. Kami juga diberitahu bahawa perbincangan masih berterusan dan tiada peruntukan yang berkaitan telah mencapai fasa berasaskan pernyataan.
Isu berganda di atas data empunya dan lanjutan tempoh eksklusif adalah amat penting bagi Malaysia-kita tidak boleh tewas di dalam perbandingan harga dengan penyertaan di dalam perbahasan.

Malah, masa semakin suntuk memandangkan pusingan dan rundingan TPPA seterusnya akan diadakan pada bulan Julai 2013 dan peryataan muktamad dijangka berakhir pada Oktober 2013. Walaupun kita fahami bahawa beberapa tahap kerahsiaan yang diperlukan dalam semua rundingan perdagangan secara terperinci, kita bimbang kerana kurangnya penglibatan menyeluruh terhadap orang awam mengenai prinsip-prinsip asas kedaulatan dan kesan sosio-ekonomi TPPA itu.
Kami memuji MITI kerana menganjurkan mesyuarat dan berjanji agar kita mempunyai salinan laporan yang ditapis UNDP dalam masa dua minggu lagi. Walau bagaimanapun, kami tetap komited untuk memperjuangkan ketelusan dan penglibatan awam yang lebih tinggi berbanding dengan negara-negara terhadap semua aspek TPPA itu. Demi kepentingan umum masyarakat , kami akan menggesa agar sebuah Jawatankuasa Pilihan Parlimen kedua-dua parti di TPPA ditubuhkan dengan segera. Kami amat prihatin mengenai keperluan untuk berahsia seiring dengan rangka kerja dan akan berusaha untuk melaksanakan tanggungjawab kami sebagai penjaga amanah rakyat. Kami juga mengingatkan kerajaan Malaysia bahawa amanah rakyat adalah tertumpu pada pendedahan yang telus dan bertanggungjawab.

Kepimpinan Pakatan Rakyat
NURUL IZZAH ANWAR
CHARLES SANTIAGO
WONG CHEN
DZULKEFLY AHMAD

—–

Media Statement
18 Jun 2013
For Immediate Release

MITI ENGAGEMENT BEGINS WITH PROMISE OF LIMITED DISCLOSURE

Last Friday, 14 June 2013, we met with MITI representatives led by Dato Rebecca Sta Maria, the KSU of the Ministry as well as one of the lead negotiators of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), Mr J. Jaya Siri.

Our meeting was timely, just a day after the failed dialogue between MITI and Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi Melayu (MTEM). While we appreciate the overtures made by MITI in engaging stakeholders, especially Opposition Parliamentarians and leaders, we remain unsatisfied by the fact that the TPPA is not subject to parliamentary oversight.

This being the case, Malaysians face limitations in ensuring that our socio-economic rights and the nation’s sovereignty are respected and protected. The TPPA’s overarching legal framework could render domestic laws subservient and put multinational corporations on stronger if not equal footing as governments.

Many issues were brought to the fore during the discussion, ranging from sovereign control over financial markets, investor-state dispute settlements (ISDS), pharmaceutical and medical prices, as well as the general anxiety over the lack of transparency and information the TPP negotiating texts. During the dialogue that lasted an hour, the following concerns were raised in particular:

1) Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) on the TPPA:

MITI admitted the existence of a CBA paper presented to the Cabinet in 2010. i.e. the 2010 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report that was commissioned by the Government of Malaysia. On a slightly positive note, we were promised a copy of the said report in two weeks’ time although stripped off its negotiating positions.

2) Financial Controls and Freedom

MITI gave verbal assurance of no loss nor dilution of Malaysia’s sovereign rights to implement economic and capital control policies by signing the TPPA. However, the recent disclosure of leaked Australian negotiation text on capital controls, and the existence of such a provision in other FTAs that the United States has signed, compels us to remain highly vigilant of the possibility of losing such rights.

Additionally, there has been no information at all on the framework on managing the exploitation, exploration and development of the respective countries’ hydrocarbon and mineral resources. It would be pertinent to allay the fears as not to allow a foreign corporation to forcefully insist on its right to extract our natural resources based on the terms of the TPPA.

3) Costs of Healthcare

With regards to intellectual property rights to pharmaceuticals, we were informed by MITI and the Health Ministry that they aim to find a balance between promoting innovation and ensuring access to affordable medicines. We were also informed that discussions are still on-going and no related provisions have reached the text-based phase.

The twofold issues of proprietary data and extension of exclusivity period are very important for Malaysia –we must not lose out access in the price versus access debate.

Indeed, time is running out since the next round of TPPA negotiations will be held in July 2013 and the final text is expected to conclude in October 2013. Whilst we understand that some level of secrecy is required in all detailed trade negotiations, we are alarmed by overall lack of engagement with the general public on the fundamental principles of sovereignty and socio-economic impact of the TPPA.

We applaud MITI for organizing the meeting and promising to let us have a censored copy of the UNDP report in two weeks’ time. However, we remain fully committed to fighting for greater transparency and more public engagement vis-à-vis all aspects of the TPPA. In the interest of the public at large, we would urge a bipartisan Parliamentary Select Committee on TPPA be set up immediately. We are mindful of the necessary confidentiality that comes with such a framework and will strive to fulfill our responsibility as custodians of the people’s trust. We also remind the government of Malaysia that the people’s trust is predicated on transparent and responsible disclosure.

Pakatan Rakyat Leadership
NURUL IZZAH ANWAR
CHARLES SANTIAGO
WONG CHEN
DZULKEFLY AHMAD

Our meeting was timely, just a day after the failed dialogue between MITI and Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi Melayu (MTEM). While we appreciate the overtures made by MITI in engaging stakeholders, especially Opposition Parliamentarians and leaders, we remain unsatisfied by the fact that the TPPA is not subject to parliamentary oversight.

This being the case, Malaysians face limitations in ensuring that our socio-economic rights and the nation’s sovereignty are respected and protected. The TPPA’s overarching legal framework could render domestic laws subservient and put multinational corporations on stronger if not equal footing as governments.

Many issues were brought to the fore during the discussion, ranging from sovereign control over financial markets, investor-state dispute settlements (ISDS), pharmaceutical and medical prices, as well as the general anxiety over the lack of transparency and information the TPP negotiating texts. During the dialogue that lasted an hour, the following concerns were raised in particular:

1) Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) on the TPPA

MITI admitted the existence of a CBA paper presented to the Cabinet in 2010. i.e. the 2010 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report that was commissioned by the Government of Malaysia. On a slightly positive note, we were promised a copy of the said report in two weeks’ time although stripped off its negotiating positions.

2) Financial Controls and Freedom

MITI gave verbal assurance of no loss nor dilution of Malaysia’s sovereign rights to implement economic and capital control policies by signing the TPPA. However, the recent disclosure of leaked Australian negotiation text on capital controls, and the existence of such a provision in other FTAs that the United States has signed, compels us to remain highly vigilant of the possibility of losing such rights.

Additionally, there has been no information at all on the framework on managing the exploitation, exploration and development of the respective countries’ hydrocarbon and mineral resources. It would be pertinent to allay the fears as not to allow a foreign corporation to forcefully insist on its right to extract our natural resources based on the terms of the TPPA.

3) Costs of Healthcare

With regards to intellectual property rights to pharmaceuticals, we were informed by MITI and the Health Ministry that they aim to find a balance between promoting innovation and ensuring access to affordable medicines. We were also informed that discussions are still on-going and no related provisions have reached the text-based phase.

The twofold issues of proprietary data and extension of exclusivity period are very important for Malaysia –we must not lose out access in the price versus access debate.

Indeed, time is running out since the next round of TPPA negotiations will be held in July 2013 and the final text is expected to conclude in October 2013. Whilst we understand that some level of secrecy is required in all detailed trade negotiations, we are alarmed by overall lack of engagement with the general public on the fundamental principles of sovereignty and socio-economic impact of the TPPA.

We applaud MITI for organizing the meeting and promising to let us have a censored copy of the UNDP report in two weeks’ time. However, we remain fully committed to fighting for greater transparency and more public engagement vis-à-vis all aspects of the TPPA. In the interest of the public at large, we would urge a bipartisan Parliamentary Select Committee on TPPA be set up immediately. We are mindful of the necessary confidentiality that comes with such a framework and will strive to fulfill our responsibility as custodians of the people’s trust. We also remind the government of Malaysia that the people’s trust is predicated on transparent and responsible disclosure.

Pakatan Rakyat Leadership
NURUL IZZAH ANWAR
CHARLES SANTIAGO
WONG CHEN
DR DZULKEFLY AHMAD

Malangnya, rakyat Malaysia termasuk Ahli Dewan Rakyat tidak dimaklumkan mengenai kandungan perbincangan TPP. Pengecualian dari perbincangan, debat atau sebarang bentuk penyertaan , apatah lagi keseluruhan proses mendapatkan pengesahan Parlimen sebenarnya menafikan hak orang awam untuk mengawasi, meneliti mana-mana perjanjian antarabangsa -sama ada dua hala atau pelbagai hala yang boleh menjejaskan kepentingan dan kedaulatan negara.

Walaupun Kerajaan dibenarkan untuk menandatangani perjanjian dan rundingan antarabangsa tanpa perlu mendapatkan kelulusan Parlimen, skala dan saiz TPP melangkaui mana-mana perjanjian lain di dunia. Selaras dengan matlamat Presiden Barack Obama untuk menjadikannya ‘perjanjian perdagangan’ abad ke-21 yang bernilai, TPP jauh melebihi kuasa dan kualiti perjanjian pelbagai hala yang telah dipersetujui di Pertubuhan Perdagangan Dunia (WTO). Hakikat ini sahaja sepatutnya sudah menjadi amaran bahaya supaya berhati-hati menangani isu tersebut.

Kerisauan utama KEADILAN adalah kemungkinan Kerajaan akan menandatangani perjanjian TPP tanpa mengambil kira pendapat orang ramai, keprihatinan mahupun kepentingan rakyat Malaysia. Walaupun KEADILAN pada dasarnya menyokong FTA jika semua pihak terlibat dalam proses ini, di samping mendapatkan kajian dan pengesahan Parlimen, namun semua FTA mestilah berdasarkan prinsip-prinsip “perdagangan yang adil” yang tidak menjejaskan bidang sosio-ekonomi, alam sekitar, domain budaya, hak-hak pekerja, orang awam keselamatan dan keselamatan negara. Dengan itu, KEADILAN mendesak akan penubuhan satu kumpulan pakar kajian tahap Parlimen yang terdiri daripada pakar-pakar Malaysia dan seluruh dunia untuk meneliti tentang maklumat terperinci TPP dengan kadar segera.

KEADILAN punyai alasan yang munasabah untuk mengambil berat. Ini adalah kerana dengan menyertai perjanjian perdagangan tersebut:-

- TPP memberikan hak undang-undang lebih kepada perniagaan asing berbanding yang tersedia kepada perniagaan domestik melalui fasal dipanggil resolusi penyelesaian pertikaian “pelabur-kerajaan” (ISDS). Justeru, kami mempersoalkan niat kerajaan menyertai satu perjanjian yang memberikan kuasa kepada syarikat-syarikat asing untuk mencabar undang-undang negara dan peraturan-peraturan di luar mahkamah domestik. Mereka tidak lagi diperlukan untuk menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi menerusi undang-undang tempatan terlebih dahulu. Situasi ini sangat menakutkan kerana ia membolehkan syarikat-syarikat asing untuk memintas undang-undang dan peraturan-peraturan yang digubal untuk kepentingan orang awam terutamanya undang-undang yang berkaitan dengan sumber semula jadi, perlindungan alam sekitar, dan dasar kesihatan.

- TPP mengandungi peruntukan berhubung pelanggaran berkaitan Perdagangan Hak Harta Intelek (TRIPS) yang terdiri daripada farmaseutikal asas sehingga maklumat dalam talian digital. Peruntukan ini akan menyebabkan peningkatan kos ubat-ubatan yang dibeli oleh Kerajaan kita, dan juga untuk penggunaan sendirian ubat-ubatan. Selain itu, beberapa peruntukan akan menghalang privasi, ungkapan dan inovasi di Internet sebagai Pembekal Perkhidmatan Internet (ISP) yang dikehendaki untuk memantau aktiviti harian pengguna internet, dan diberi kuasa untuk bertindak dengan cara melumpuhkan akses atau penjerut jalur lebar, lantas menghalang kebebasan bersuara secara langsung.

Jikalau Kerajaan berhasrat menandatangani perjanjian TPP, kami menuntut kerajaan Malaysia memastikan jaminan dan keselamatan tertentu:

1) Memperkukuhkan undang-undang alam sekitar kita dengan piawaian antarabangsa untuk mengelakkan sebarang penyalahgunaan ekosistem.
2) Mencontohi amalan terbaik antarabangsa untuk menentang sekeras-kerasnya ISDS, dan menggabungkan amalan-amalan terbaik dalam Penyata Dasar Perdagangan.
3) Menggubal undang-undang untuk melindungi kepentingan pengguna internet tempatan dan mengekalkan kebebasan maklumat selagi ia tidak melanggar undang-undang keselamatan yang sedia ada.

Satu kajian telah dibuat oleh Institut Peterson, yang menyatakan bahawa Malaysia bakal mendapatkan keuntungan yang besar melalui TPP. Walau bagaimanapun, ramalan tersebut tidak sesekali mengutamakan kesan perjanjian perdagangan ini terhadap jurang pendapatan rakyat atau pengekalan alam sekitar negara kita. Justeru, harus disedari bahawa TPP(terutama proses yang membawa kepada kesepakatannya) akan menimbulkan pelbagai risiko sosial, politik dan ekonomi, yang akhirnya akan menjejaskan integriti sebenar perjanjian TPP.

Saya akan membuat satu usul di Parlimen bagi menuntut pembentukan Kumpulan Pakar Parlimen mengenai TPP – sebagai syarat bahawa badan legislatif harus dimaklumkan tentang sebarang perjanjian yang mengikat negara kelak. Hal ini adalah untuk memastikan perlindungan hak demokrasi Parlimen Malaysia, terutamanya peranan legislatif Parlimen dalam menyemak dan meratifisasikan pengesahan semua bentuk perjanjian.

Ternyata, kebimbangan tentang kepentingan negara tidak boleh diremehkan. Kami tidak akan menerima jaminan membuta-tuli bahawa Kerajaan Malaysia akan melaksanakan tugasnya atas kegagalan menjamin kepentingan dan kedaulatan negara sepanjang perjanjian-perjanjian antarabangsa sebelum ini seperti pertikaian sempadan (territorial disputes) Pulau Batu Putih dengan Singapura dan Blok L dan M dengan Brunei; Perjanjian Bekalan Air dengan Singapura dan Perjanjian Tanah KTM Tanjung Pagar juga dengan Singapura.

Saya akan terus memberi keutamaan kepada penglibatan dengan wakil-wakil Dewan Perniagaan kaum Cina, Melayu, India di dalam hal ini. Kami menerima dengan baik jemputan Kedutaan Amerika Syarikat yang menawarkan ruangan dialog dengan pelbagai kumpulan perniagaan dan masyarakat sivil di Malaysia dalam pemaknaan rundingan TPP. Saya berhasrat untuk mewakili kepentingan rakyat Malaysia dalam pusingan perundingan seterusnya yang akan diadakan di Malaysia dan akan membawa dengan saya wakil-wakil dari Dewan Perniagaan masing-masing yang jua berkepentingan.

TPP ini mungkin dibentuk dengan semangat ‘Perdagangan Bebas’, tetapi adakah ia benar-benar ‘perdagangan yang adil’ buat Malaysia?

Nurul Izzah Anwar
Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai
Naib Presiden KEADILAN

Masalah bekalan air di sekitar Lembah Klang telah menjadi isu hangat kepada masyarakat setempat. Masalah ini jika berlarutan akan menyebabkan pelbagai kegiatan ekonomi terganggu, dan seterusnya membawa kerugian kepada para peniaga pelbagai sektor.

Prihatin terhadap masalah ini, Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, Puan Nurul Izzah Anwar telah mengadakan sebuah lawatan kerja ke pejabat SYABAS di Jalan Bukit Pantai pada 6 Jun yang lepas. Lawatan ini bertujuan untuk mendapatkan maklum-balas mengenai isu bekalan air di Wilayah Persekutuan, khususnya di kawasan Lembah Pantai.

Merujuk kepada isu penggantian paip lama dan paip pecah di Taman Lucky yang pernah dikemukakan pada akhir 2011, En.Azizi Alrahman berkata, SYABAS pada ketika ini sedang mengambil langkah-langkah untuk mengurangkan insiden paip pecah. Antara tindakan yang sedang diambil untuk mengurangkan masalah ini ialah dengan pemasangan sistem injap pengawal tekanan.

Beliau juga berkata bahawa paip lama yang dibuat menggunakan simen asbestos akan digantikan dengan paip yang tahan lebih lama serta lebih kuat lagi – hanya penggantian ini tertakluk kepada dana yang dilulus SPAN. Paip-paip ini sepatutnya tahan selama 25 tahun, tetapi oleh kerana perubahan-perubahan cuaca dan tekanan, jangka usia paip-paip ini menjadi lebih pendek. Adalah penting bagi sebuah petisyen dihantar kepada SPAN bagi memastikan proses penggantian paip ini dijalankan dengan segera.

SYABAS turut meminta Joint Management Board(JMB) bagi rumah pangsa sekitar Lembah Pantai supaya sering mengadakan pemeriksaan ke atas paip-paip di sekitar kawasan mereka, dan melaporkan sebarang kebocoran yang ditemui.

Persoalan mengenai kes-kes bekalan air putus yang tidak berjadual yang sering berlaku sejak akhir-akhir ini turut dibangkitkan oleh Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai. Yang terbaru pada 28 Mei lepas, di mana Blok 7 Taman Bukit Angkasa dan kawasan sekitar terputus bekalan. Menurut pihak SYABAS, perkara ini berlaku oleh kerana penurunan paras air di kolam-kolam takungan sekitar Lembah Klang. Faktor cuaca serta faktor penggunaan air yang tinggi oleh pelanggan juga menyumbang ke arah masalah penurunan ini. Walau bagaimana pun, Puan Nurul Izzah telah mendapatkan jaminan daripada pihak SYABAS untuk memberikan bantuan bekalan air menerusi lori tangki sekiranya gangguan bekalan air berlaku selepas tempoh 24 jam untuk bekalan 24 jam seterusnya, seperti tercatat di dalam Piagam Pelanggan mereka.

Puan Nurul Izzah turut mencadangkan pewartaan tarif air di peringkat negeri dan di peringkat persekutuan. Orang ramai perlu mempunyai maklumat yang betul mengenai tarif air mengikut peringkat-peringkat dan kod tarif yang berbeza. Ini bagi mengelakkan bebanan tambahan kepada penghuni rumah kos sederhana dan sederhana rendah – yang disatukan dengan kos rumah mewah di bawah kod 17.

Malaysia’s Sovereignty Sacrificed for Free Trade?

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) initiative involving 11 countries and is currently in its 17th round of closed-door negotiations. Malaysia joined the TPP discussions in October 2010. Unfortunately, in keeping with past traditions, Malaysians including their elected representatives have not been informed of the discussions pertaining to the TPP.

This unfortunate exclusion from discussions, debates or any other form of participation let alone the entire process of obtaining a Parliamentary ratification denies the public their right to oversight and scrutiny of international treaties and agreements – be they bilateral or multilateral – which could affect national interests and sovereignty.

Although the Government is allowed to enter into international agreements and treaties without having to obtain Parliamentary approval, the scale and size of the TPP supercedes any other treaties in the world. Consistent with President Barack Obama’s goal to make it the ‘trade treaty’ worthy of the 21st century, TPP far exceeds the authority and quality of the multilateral agreements already agreed at World Trade Organization (WTO). This in itself should have been a red flag for further caution.

Invariably, we are extremely worried that the Government will sign the TPP agreement without first seeking public opinion, or being attentive to the concerns and sentiments of the people of Malaysia.

While KEADILAN in principle supports FTAs if all stakeholders are involved in the process, alongside Parliamentary review and ratification, all FTAs nevertheless must be premised on “fair trade” principles without compromising the socio-economic sphere, environment, cultural domain, labour rights, public safety and national security. On that premise, we call for a parliamentary expert study group on TPP – formed of Malaysian experts and specialists drawn from around the world – to be immediately convened to look into the nuts and bolts of the FTA.

We have justifiable reasons to be concerned. This is because by joining this trade agreement:-

- TPP confers greater legal rights on foreign businesses than those available to domestic businesses through a clause called the “investor-state” dispute settlement (ISDS) resolution. In lieu of this, we question the motives of the Government for entertaining the notion of joining an agreement that empowers foreign corporations to challenge domestic laws and regulations outside of domestic courts without first exhausting local legal measures. This is especially frightening as it allows foreign corporations to circumvent laws and regulations enacted by our Government in public interest such as those pertaining to natural resource, environmental protection, and health policies.

- TPP contains provisions concerning infringements of Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) ranging from basic pharmaceuticals to digital information online. These provisions would result in the increased costs of medicines purchased by our Government, and for the private consumer of medicines. Further, some provisions would hinder privacy, expression and innovation on the Internet as Internet Service Providers (ISPs) would be required to monitor the everyday activity of internet users, and are given the authority to act upon them by means of disabling net access or throttling bandwidth, effectively hindering freedom of speech.

Accordingly, even if we accept TPP, we demand that the Malaysian Government ensure certain safeguards to be in place:-

1) Strengthen our environmental laws to that of international standards to prevent any abuse of our diverse ecosystem.
2) Emulate the international best practices to strongly oppose ISDS, and incorporate these best practices in the Trade Policy Statements.
3) Enact laws to protect the interest of domestic internet users and maintaining freedom of information as long as it does not breach existing security laws.

A study has been made by the Peterson Institute, stating that Malaysia stands to gain huge income gains through TPP. However, the projection has made no attempts to determine the impact of this trade deal on income inequality or environmental sustainability. Hence, we see TPP, and especially the processes leading to its ultimate acession, to be fraught with various social, political and economic risks, which could undermine the very integrity of the agreement eventually.

I will move a motion within Parliament strongly demanding a Parliamentary Expert Group on TPP be convened, with the added caveat that the legislature should be duly informed. This is to ensure the protection of the democratic rights of the Malaysian Parliament, especially in relation to the issue of review and ratification of all treaties.

Indeed, subsequent legislative amendments must be restored in light of this upcoming new treaty of TPP. Our concerns are not trivial. We will not accept the blind faith assurances that the Malaysian Government would perform its duties when they have failed miserably to protect our national interest and sovereignty in the past; including instances such as the territorial dispute cases of Pulau Batu Putih (with Singapore) and Block L and M (with Brunei), the Water Agreement (with Singapore) and the Singapore Tanjong Pagar KTM land deal (with Singapore).

I will further prioritise engagement with representatives from the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Chamber’s of Commerce regarding this matter. We take kindly to the invitation of the US Embassy which stated that they have offered give numerous groups from both business and civil society here in Malaysia the opportunity to be a stakeholder in the negotiations. I fully intend to represent the interests of Malaysians during the upcoming round of negotiations that will be held in Malaysia and will be bringing with me representatives from the respective CCM’s to be stakeholders as well.

This TPP may have been in the spirit of ‘Free Trade’, but is it truly a ‘fair trade’ deal for the citizens of our country?

Nurul Izzah Anwar
Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai
and Vice-President Parti KEADILAN Rakyat (People’s Justice Party)

PENAHANAN ANTI-DEMOKRATIK ATAS ARAHAN KETUA MENTERI SABAH DISELAR

Semalam, 30 Mei 2013, saya telah ditahan apabila kad pengenalan saya diambil di pintu masuk imigresen untuk menghalang saya daripada memasuki negeri Sabah, walaupun hak saya selaku warganegara Malaysia termaktub di bawah Seksyen 67 Akta Imigresen 1959/63:

67. Hak untuk masuk ke Negeri Malaysia Timur bagi menjalankan hak-hak politik.

Seksyen 66 (1) hendaklah tidak berkuatkuasa dalam hubungan dengan seseorang warganegara yang memasuki Negeri Malaysia Timur hanya untuk menceburkan diri dalam aktiviti politik yang sah; tetapi beban membuktikan bahawa seseorang itu berhak memasuki Negeri Malaysia Timur di bawah seksyen ini terletak ke atasnya.

Lawatan saya ke Sabah adalah untuk menghadirkan diri dalam program Parti Keadilan Rakyat Sabah di samping menyambut pesta Kaamatan bersama warga tempatan.

Alasan yang diberikan atas penahanan saya adalah atas arahan Pejabat Ketua Menteri Sabah. Saya juga difahamkan ada nama-nama lain, termasuk aktivis tempatan beserta ahli politik Pakatan Rakyat yang akan juga dinafikan kemasukan ke dalam negeri Sabah atas arahan Pejabat Ketua Menteri Sabah.

Sebagai seorang Ahli Parlimen Malaysia, dan warganegara Malaysia, tindakan menyekat kemasukan yang tidak rasional dan bersebab ini merupakan salah guna kuasa yang melampau dan cukup anti-demokratik. Permohonan saya untuk mendapatkan senarai nama mereka yang terlarang ditolak atas sebab-sebab kerahsiaan. Tiada alasan lain diberikan dalam tangkapan dan penafian masuk saya ke Sabah.

Sekiranya saya dianggap mengancam keselamatan warga Sabah, maka kemukakan rasional serta penjelasan atas dakwaan tersebut. Rasional yang sama juga perlu diberikan dalam kes YB Tian Chua, Ahli Parlimen Batu dan Naib Presiden KEADILAN, yang juga dinafikan kemasukan pada 7 April yang lalu.

Isu keselamatan negara dan persempadanan tidak boleh sama sekali dipolitikkan. Malang, tindakan menghalang saya daripada masuk ke Negeri di Bawah Bayu ini berlaku di kala Sabah berhadapan dengan kebolosan sempadan – termasuklah pengeluaran kad pengenalan secara haram seperti yang sedang disiasat oleh Suruhanjaya Siasatan DiRaja Sabah. Seharusnya tumpuan kerajaan negeri adalah mengawal selia masalah kebolosan yang mendesak ini, bukan menyalahgunakan kuasa dengan menafikan hak demokrasi dan aktiviti politik pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat demi mempertahan kedudukan UMNO mahupun BN.

Justeru itu, isu keselamatan dan kedaulatan negara sepatutnya tidak diperlekehkan dengan menjadikan ia alat politik menindas rakyat.

KEADILAN akan menghantar surat rasmi ke Pejabat Ketua Menteri Sabah untuk mengemukakan aduan rasmi serta mendapatkan penjelasan sepenuhnya mengenai isu ini. KEADILAN akan turut meminta senarai nama-nama mereka yang dihalang memasuki negeri Sabah, serta sebab-sebab mereka dihalang.

Pada masa yang sama, saya sedang berbincang dengan YB Darrell Leiking, Ahli Parlimen Penampang, serta teman-teman guaman di Sabah untuk mempertimbangkan tindakan undang-undang terhadap Ketua Menteri yang akan difailkan di Kota Kinabalu kelak.

Nurul Izzah Anwar
AHLI PARLIMEN LEMBAH PANTAI &
NAIB PRESIDEN PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT

Lapangan Terbang Malaysia dikendalikan oleh sekumpulan penipu yang tidak cekap dan gagal bertanggungjawab kerana selalu menangguhkan penyiapan KLIA2 “kos rendah” yang baru malah telah menaikkan kosnya kepada RM5 Billion.

Fakta-fakta :

Latarbelakang 

Dialah pemberi paling setia
Tiap akar ilmu miliknya
Pelita dan lampu segala
Untuk manusia sebelum jadi dewasa.

Dialah ibu dialah bapa juga sahabat
Alur kesetiaan mengalirkan nasihat
Pemimpin yang ditauliahkan segala umat
Seribu tahun katanya menjadi hikmat.

Jika hari ini seorang Perdana Menteri berkuasa
Jika hari ini seorang Raja menaiki takhta
Jika hari ini seorang Presiden sebuah negara
Jika hari ini seorang ulama yang mulia
Jika hari ini seorang peguam menang bicara
Jika hari ini seorang penulis terkemuka
Jika hari ini siapa sahaja menjadi dewasa;
Sejarahnya dimulakan oleh seorang guru biasa
Dengan lembut sabarnya mengajar tulis-baca.

Di mana-mana dia berdiri di muka muridnya
Di sebuah sekolah mewah di Ibu Kota
Di bangunan tua sekolah Hulu Terengganu
Dia adalah guru mewakili seribu buku;
Semakin terpencil duduknya di ceruk desa
Semakin bererti tugasnya kepada negara.
Jadilah apa pun pada akhir kehidupanmu, guruku
Budi yang diapungkan di dulangi ilmu
Panggilan keramat “cikgu” kekal terpahat
Menjadi kenangan ke akhir hayat.

USMAN AWANG 1979