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 benefits to our country are not clear at all while the costs from the FTA will be very high.
<P>The Government will lose its ability to maintain many key present policies and to make new policies. Prevailing social arrangements will be adversely affected as the FTA may cause tensions in Malaysian society.</P>
<P>The 9th Malaysia Plan implementation and
success will also be threatened. </P><P>Malaysian companies will be unable to
compete with giant US firms and banks. </P><P>Since the FTA forces our trade and
investment to be opened up, the Government will be unable to continue supporting
local firms and products. </P><P>Worse, consumers will have to suffer higher prices
of medicines and pay higher costs for information and digital products due to
tighter intellectual property laws. </P><P>In trade, Malaysia may also lose out
as we open our markets. This will affect our rice, tobacco and chicken farmers,
as well as industrial companies such as the national motorcar industry. </P><P>After
the Singapore FTA with the US came into force in January 2004, the Singapore trade
deficit with the US has increased from US$1.4bil in 2003 to US$4.3bill in 2004,
US$5.5bil in 2005 and US$6.9bil in 2006. </P><P>There is therefore no reason for
Malaysia to sign an FTA with the US nor to continue with the negotiations, as
it is very costly to do so. </P><P>Malaysia can maintain positive and better trade
and economic relations with the US without an FTA. </P><P><B>S.M. MOHAMED IDRIS
<BR>President,<BR>Consumers’ Association of Penang</B></P><P><I>Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/3/7/focus/17066466&sec=focus</I>
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