[Ip-health] Coalition on the US-Malaysia FTA Memo to the Government of Malaysia

[Mike Palmedo]

COALITION ON THE US-MALAYSIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT MEMORANDUM TO THE
GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA


To The Chief Negotiator,
Government of Malaysia

Dear Sir,

We are concerned Malaysian organizations and citizens who have come
together to form the =91Coalition On the US-Malaysia FTA=92 and we wish to
express our concerns over the ongoing US-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement
negotiations. We represent people living with HIV/AIDS, consumers,
workers, farmers, health activists, human rights groups and other
sections of the Malaysian public.

On 8 March this year, Malaysia and the United States announced their
intention to start negotiating a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
There will be high pressure negotiations in the next few months, as the
aim is to complete the deal by the end of the year, to take advantage of
the US President=92s =93fast track authority=94 that ends in mid-2007.

We are aware that the scope of the negotiations covers a wide range of
sectors of tremendous importance to Malaysian citizens which can have
very significant and profound impacts on jobs and food security, the
access to affordable medicines, the resilience of the domestic industry
and service providers, the viability of small farms and firms and
ultimately national sovereignty.

Before negotiating the US FTA or any FTA at all for that matter, the
Malaysian Government should have at least a comprehensive Cost-Benefit
assessment which is made public and transparent as in the case of
Environmental Impact Assessments, and most recently the launch of Social
Impact Assessments. The benefits and costs can be assessed in terms of:
(a) gains and losses in trade terms: e.g. increase in exports, imports;
(b) gains and losses in terms of jobs; (c) effects on the degree of
policy space and flexibilities available to the country as a result of
the FTA; (d) social effects: on access to affordable medicines, to
knowledge, food security etc; (e) effects on technology transfer and
development and (f) the cross-cutting social and environmental costs.

We understand that such a detailed Cost-Benefit assessment has not been
done and yet, the first round of negotiations are taking place in Penang
from 12-16 June, 2006. How can such negotiations take place when we are
not even clear yet as to what we will gain and what we are prepared to
trade-off? Who among Malaysians will gain and who will bear the loss?

Many vulnerable groups such as some rice farmers in Kedah and people
living with HIV/AIDs have asked questions as to how they will be
affected by the proposed negotiations. They have had no feedback from
the government.

Most people, including many in the government and in Parliament are not
aware about the implications of such an FTA.

This is because important negotiations such as this are conducted in a
most un-democratic and non-transparent manner. There is no Parliamentary
oversight over what is being committed to, as existing polices and laws
are changed or adjusted to accommodate the US. There is also no genuine
avenue for public participation or feedback in the process when the
lives of ordinary citizens can be dramatically affected. This is most
contrary to the current Government=92s commitment to greater transparency
and accountability.

We are also aware of citizens=92 protests around the world in relation to
the US FTAs as has been the experience in Latin America and most
recently in Thailand. We also know that in FTAs which have been
concluded with the US, commitments by developing countries have gone far
beyond their obligations in the World Trade Organisation. This is most
unfair and unjust.

As a result of the growing protest from various groups in our country,
and numerous memoranda and letters sent to the government, some NGOs
have been invited by some Ministries to a few meetings in the last few
weeks. Those meetings reaffirm our fears that the Government is
ill-prepared for the type of intensive and aggressive negotiations
typical of the US trade interests. They confirm the need for full public
consultation.

While there was some assurance from a Government Minister that Malaysia
will not be bound by a US time-frame, we are very surprised and
disappointed to hear that Malaysia has agreed to five negotiating
sessions this year.

Given the lack of transparency and accountability in the on-going
negotiations and the strong likelihood of an imbalanced outcome in the
US-Malaysia FTA negotiations, we urgently call on the Government to halt
all further negotiations in this regard, until a comprehensive
Cost-Benefit assessment is done. Such a Cost-Benefit assessment must be
made public and be open to both Parliamentary and public oversight and
feedback and found to be beneficial to Malaysian citizens.

We also call for a Parliamentary Select Committee on FTAs to be
established so that the input of MPs and civil society will be taken
into account during the FTA negotiations so that there will be a
beneficial and favourable outcome for Malaysian citizens in the FTA.

Until then no negotiations should proceed.

Thank-you.

Yours sincerely


S.M.Mohamed Idris,
f Coalition on US-M'sia FTA
c/o Consumers Association of Penang,
10, Jalan Mesjid Negeri, 11600, Penang
Tel: 04-8299511/ Fax: 04-8298109


LIST OF GROUPS WHO COMPRISE THE COALITION ON MALAYSIA-USFTA

1. Consumers=92 Association of Penang [CAP]
2. Sahabat Alam Malaysia [SAM]
3. Third World Network [TWN]
4. Positive Malaysian Treatment Access & Advocacy
Group [MTAAG+]
5. Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia [ABIM]
6. Teras Pengupayaan Melayu [TERAS] ( Malay Empowerment Group)
7. Malaysian Trade Union Congress, Penang [MTUC, Penang]
8. Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation [MSN]
9. Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas [JERIT] (Network of Expolited Communities)
10. Community Development Centre [CDC]
11. Pemuda Sosialis (Socialist Youth)
12. Gabungan Anak Muda & Pelajar, JERIT (Coalition of Youth and Students)
13. Jawatankuasa Kebajikan Mahasiswa/i, UKM (Committeee of University
Students)
14. Gabungan Perkerja Kilang & Kesatuan, JERIT (Coalition of Workers and
Unions)
15. Parti Sosialis Malaysia [PSM] (Socialist Party of Malaysia)
16. Gabungan Peneroka & Perumahan, JERIT (Coalition of Settlers)
17. Jawatankuasa Sokongan Masyarakat Ladang, JERIT (Coalition of
Plantation Workers)
18. Aliran Kesedaran Negara [ALIRAN]
19. United Rural Citizens Association of Kedah, Malaysia [RURAL CITIZENS]
20. Angkatan Sahabat Alam Sekitar Kerpan [ASAS Kerpan] (Friends of the
Environment, Kerpan
21. Angkatan Sahabat Alam Sekitar Merbok [ASAS Merbok] Friends of the
Environment, Merbok
22. Persatuan Peneroka Felda Chini, Pahang [CISNET] Chini Felda Settlers
Association
23. Pertubuhan Prihatin Kesihatan dan Sosial Malaysia [PRIHATIN MALAYSIA]
24. Malaysian Voters=92 Union [MALVU]
25. Save Ourselves [SOS]
26. Suara Rakyat Malaysia, Penang [SUARAM, Penang]
27. Persatuan Ulamak Malaysia P.Pinang (PUM PP) Ulamak Association of
Penang
28. Persatuan Ulamak Kedah (PUK) Ulamak Association of Kedah
29. Young Environmentalist (YES)
30. Campus Environmentalist Network (CARE)
31. Institut Penyelidikan dan Pembangunan Komunti (IMPAK) Institute for
Research and Community Development
32. Penang Inshore Fisherman Welfare Association (PIFWA)
33. Malaysian Inshore Fisherman Network
34. Persatuan Bidan Tradisional Wilayah Utara (Northern
RegionTraditional Midwives Association)
35. Sekretariat Himpunan Ulamak Rantau Asia (SHURA) (Asian Secretariat
of Ulamaks)
36. Permuafakatan NGO Islam Wilayah Utara (Islamic NGOs)
37. Jawatankuasa Bertindak Petani Menentang US FTA (Committee of Farmers
Against the FTA)
38. Pergerakan Penyelidikan dan Pembangunan Komuniti (KOMUNITI)