Rafidah skirting main FTA issues
Malaysiakini.com
Jan 16, 2007
Rafidah skirting main FTA issues
International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz has not addressed the main concerns surrounding the US-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), claimed a regional grouping of fishermen and farmers today.
In a statement, the Anti-US FTA Action Committee for the Northern Region, which also represents environmental, consumer and rural groups, said the government has to be forthcoming on many aspects of the FTA, not just on the issue of rice imports.
Last week, Rafidah said Malaysian rice farmers would not be affected by the FTA as rice had been excluded from the talks with the US. She also said rice imported from the US came to only 346.8 metric tonnes, less than 0.1 percent of Malaysia’s total rice imports in 2006.
“In our view, the US FTA will not just impact trade, but will impact our livelihood as well as our welfare, especially (those of us in) rural communities who will bear the brunt of the impact,” read the statement signed by committee representative Che Ani Mat Zain.
Cost-benefit assessment
Che Ani, who heads a farmers’ committee in Kedah, said the government had yet to explain how higher intellectual property protection measures as contained in the FTA will not drive up the price of medicine and educational materials, among other things.
He said there is also concern that chemical materials used by farmers will be more expensive, while protection measures and other incentives for small-holders will be seen as non-tariff barriers and done away with.
“We are very concerned that the Malaysian government has not done a comprehensive cost-benefit assessment with regards to the US-FTA and is proceeding with negotiations without any information or consultations with farmers like us and the public,” he said.
“We urge the Malaysian government to halt further negotiations on the US-FTA until we know how it will effect our farmers, that food security will not be compromised, and the full extent of its impact on the public especially rural communities. It is not enough to give us mere assurances,” he added.
Last week, Che Ani disclosed that a signature campaign in Kedah demanding that the government calls off its talks with the US had won the support from 20,000 fishermen and farmers.
The campaign, part of an on-going awareness campaign on the FTA targeting mainly farming communities in northern Malaysia, will be submitted to Rafidah and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
