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The opposing organisations, coming under the umbrella body called Coalition Against FTA, want everyone to fax in their opposition on Jan 3 to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and to Minister of Trade and Industries Rafidah Aziz.
<P>The next stage of the talks will take place from the Jan 8 to 12 in San Fransisco, United States of America.</P>
<P>“We in the coalition hope that you will give full support for this campaign. Let’s join forces to oppose the Malaysia-USA FTA which
is going to trade away our lives and rights,” said Y Kohila on behalf of
the coalition today.</P>
<P>She said that the nationwide faxing campaign was mooted as a result of the failure by the government to address various concerns raised over the FTA talks.</P>
<P>“The government is just pushing through the talks very fast without getting feedback from the civil society, unions, non-government organisations, parliament members and the people of Malaysia,” she said.</P>
<P>“In this process, the Malaysian citizens or the parliament are not aware what is being negotiated and what are we trading off,” sheadded.</P>
<P><B>Economic woes</B></P>
<P>The coalition believes that the FTA, if signed next year, will cause more economic woes for the Malaysians.</P>
<P>In the previous letters and memorandums to the government, the coalition highlighted that the FTA with the US will result in an increase in medicine prices, job losses, and the sidelining of local industries among others.</P>
<P>The coalition has said that the negotiations are being conducted
in a most undemocratic and non-transparent manner.</P>
<P>“There is no parliamentary oversight over what is being committed to, as existing polices and laws are changed or adjusted to accommodate the US,” they argued.</P>
<P>“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’s commitment to greater transparency and accountability.”</P>
<P>The government, arising from growing protest from various groups over the FTA, had met with representatives of some NGOs in the course of the year to discuss the matter.</P>
<P>However many of those who participated in these meetings have come out saying that the meetings merely reaffirm their fears that the government was ill-prepared for the type of intensive and aggressive negotiations typical of
the US trade interests.</P>
<P>“They confirm the need for full public consultation,” said the coalition in one of its many memorandums.</P>
<P><B>Cost-Benefit assessment</B></P>
<P>The Coalition against the FTA wants the government to do a comprehensive Cost-Benefit assessment.</P>
<P>“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,” the coalition had urged.</P>
<P>The coalition suggested that the benefits and costs could be assessed in terms of:</P>
<P>(a) gains and losses in trade terms</P>
<P>(b) gains and losses in terms of jobs</P>
<P>(c) effects on the degree of policy space and flexibilities available to the country as a result of the FTA</P>
<P>(d) social effects: on access to affordable medicines, to knowledge, food security etc</P>
<P>(e) effects on technology transfer and development, and</P>
<P>(f) the cross-cutting social and environmental costs.</P>
<P>The Jan 3 fax campaign is to intensify the anti-FTA campaign and to pressure the government to stop and listen to the concerned groups, said Kohila.</P>
<P>The prime minister’s fax number is 03-8888 3444 while Rafidah’s ministry can be reached at 03-6201 2301.
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com