Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
The on-going WTO negotiations, among others, involved the abolishment of agricultural
export subsidies, reduction in non-agricultural tariffs and a progressive liberalisation
certain services sectors.
<p>“Malaysia will continue to participate actively in WTO negotiations to
ensure the country’s interests are advanced through the liberalisation
of agricultural and non-agricultural products and services in line with the
flexibility given to developing nations,” said Miti parliamentary secretary
Dr Tan Yee Kew when answering a question on the matter from Abdul Rahim Bakri
(BN-Kudat).</p>
<p>Her answer, however, elicited a barrage of questions from both sides of the
House.</p>
<p>Parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP – Ipoh Timur) demanded to
know whether Miti’s agreement to reduce tariffs on non-agricultural products
would affect Malaysian manufacturers and workers.</p>
<p>“Wouldn’t this negatively affect Malaysia whereby factories will
end up closing down and workers losing their jobs? Are there measurements to
(offset) such adverse effects? Have there been consultations with employers
or workers on this?” he asked.</p>
<p>Lim also asked whether Malaysian rice farmers had been prepared for the impact
of the decision reached at WTO to abolish all export subsidies by the end 2013.</p>
<p>Earlier, Abdul Rahim questioned why neither the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (Asean) or the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) have their own
lobbying blocs at the WTO negotiations.</p>
<p>He said that developed nations have ensured their interests were represented
by blocs such as G10, G20 and G23.</p>
<p>“Why isn’t there an Asean or OIC bloc in these negotiations? Are
these countries lacking the commitment or consensus to (collectively) negotiate
in the WTO?” he asked.</p>
<p><b>Will Miti consult Parliament?</b></p>
<p>In view of the significant implications of agreements reached at the WTO, Abdul
Rahim also questioned whether the ministry would defer its decisions to Parliament.</p>
<p>“Are we planning to refer any negotiation or commitment made at the WTO,
at the least, to inform Parliament and obtain its approval? The effects of the
negotiations will have large implications to the country,” said Abdul Rahim.</p>
<p>In response to Abdul Rahim’s questions, Tan said ‘special safeguard
mechanism’ laws to protect sectors within the nation’s economy would
be proposed and brought to Parliament for discussion.</p>
<p>However, Tan said she did not feel that “at this stage” the ministry
would bring its other decisions reached at the WTO negotiations to Parliament.</p>
<p>She also insisted that negotiations between WTO countries were based on the
principle of mutual benefit and that “the government always took into consideration
the interests of small holders, including rice farmers.”</p>
<p>“Although there are bloc interests that seek to gain larger interests
in the WTO negotiations, this does not mean we lose in the said negotiations,”
she said.</p>
<p>She went on to speak of protection for factory workers in developing countries,
that developed nations were slapped with larger reduction of tariffs than developing
countries.</p>
<p>Tan also said there were provisions for developing countries to specify ‘sensitive
products’ based on national food security, among others.</p>
<p>“There are mechanisms to provide protection to developing nations and
(their) factories, one of which is the ‘special safeguard mechanism’,
whereby a nation can limit an import or raise its tariffs if an increase in
such imports will lead to losses to local producers,” she said.
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