Anti-TPPA protest to be held on Jan 23

KUALA LUMPUR: As a last ditch effort, anti Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) groups are organising a protest on Jan 23 to pressure the government to reject the controversial trade pact.
Bantah TPPA deputy chairman Azlan Awang said the protest venue would tentatively be at Dataran Merdeka at 2pm pending approval from authorities, and urged all to show up.
"Those who reject the TPPA, now is the time to speak up and show the government that the public rejects it," he told a press conference at the Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM) today.
To build up momentum to the protest, Azlan said Bantah TPPA and Kongres Rakyat would also be organising TPPA Summit 2016 to meet and declare a common opposition against the pact, which will be signed by February 2016.
He said more than 200 NGOs and associations had already expressed interest to join the Summit, which will be held on Jan 9 at the Ideal Convention Centre in Shah Alam.
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed will be delivering a keynote address at the Summit and several prominent activists will also be featured.
Azlan said the TPPA is only expected to increase Malaysia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) but it does not take into account the problems faced by the layman.
"It (TPPA) does not consider gender inequality in wages or status, racial inequality, the difference in development between peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak, or the rising costs of living," he said.
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary general A. Sivarajan said although the government had assured that it will consider the views of civil society, nothing in the agreement could be changed.
Sivarajan said there is no more avenue left for critics to voice their disapproval against the pact, hence the need to organise the Summit and a public protest.
"This will show the government and our MPs that the public rejects the TPPA, and hopefully they will not sign the agreement," he said.