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?
US Trade Representative Susan
Schwab said she had yet to see a letter from influential Democratic lawmaker Tom
Lantos, demanding a suspension of the talks owing to the "abhorrent"
deal between Malaysia and nuclear renegade Iran. But she stressed to reporters:
"We are pressing ahead with our negotiations with Malaysia for a free trade
agreement."
<P>Malaysia’s government said earlier Friday it was ready
to suspend the free-trade talks with the United States after Lantos’s criticism,
and warned it would not be "held hostage" to political demands.</P><P>Schwab
noted that the two nations would head into a fifth, and make-or-break, round of
talks next week in a bid to secure the FTA in time before the US administration
loses its "fast-track" trade promotion authority.</P><P><B>Tough negotiators</B></P><P>Both
sides have already expressed fears that they will fail to wrap up the pact in
time, with talks bogged down in sensitive areas including the services sector,
investment and government procurement.</P><P>"The Malaysians are tough negotiators.
I think we’re tough negotiators," Schwab said.</P><P>"But we will press
ahead in the hopes of getting a free trade agreement that is in the interests
of both countries."</P><P>Lantos, the head of the US House of Representatives’
top foreign affairs panel, has denounced the US$16 billion deal signed in January
between the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company and Malaysia’s SKS Group.
– AFP</P><P><I>Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/62946</I>
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