Thousands protest against US-led Pacific trade deal

Thousands of protesters on Saturday gathered in Kuala Lumpur to denounce the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade alliance, demanding the government reject the accord in a parliamentary debate next week. The peaceful protest, involving various NGOs and opposition parties, saw scores of people wearing anti-TPP t-shirts and holding placards warning against the mammoth trade deal.

While a few hundred gathered near the capital’s Independence Square, around 3,000 others, mainly supporters of opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, marched to a nearby field to listen to speeches given by critics of the agreement. Prominent Malaysian opposition figure Chua Tian Chang, better known as Tian Chua, told the crowd that the TPP will affect Malaysia’s sovereignty and that “jobs will be reduced and prices of medicines will go up.” 

“This (TPP) will only help the rich people. It will not help the poor people in Malaysia and I don’t see any benefits for my family and I,” said Mohammad Noor Ismail, a student who attended the protest.

The TPP aims to create the world’s biggest free-trade area including Canada, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, the United States, Japan and Australia. In October, 12 Pacific nations finally reached an agreement on the pact, a major diplomatic coup for Washington.

Both China and the USA are pushing their own free trade visions for the economically vibrant and populous region. China is pointedly excluded from the TPP, part of Washington’s attempt to ramp up influence in the region with its “pivot” to Asia.