Thousands gather in Malaysia for anti-TPP rally
Many demonstrators fear that the Southeast Asian country could lose control of its economy if it enters the Trans-Pacific Partnership with the United States.
By Melissa Goh, Malaysia Bureau Chief, Channel NewsAsia
Posted 23 Jan 2016
KUALA LUMPUR: Almost 5,000 Malaysians staged a three-hour long protest on Saturday (Jan 23) against plans to join the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), just days before parliament is due to open a debate on the free trade pact.
Led by opposition party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), non-governmental organisations and student unions, protesters armed with banners chanted anti-TPP slogans as they gathered in central Kuala Lumpur’s Padang Merbok.
Prime Minister Najib Razak's government has argued that Malaysia, which relies on exports of commodities, minerals and electronics, cannot afford to stay out of a trade zone whose participants account for 40 per cent of the global economy.
However, opponents of the TPP said they fear the pact would compromise national interests and favour foreign multinational companies. A special parliament session will convene from Tuesday to Thursday, to debate and vote on the controversial TPP bill.
Although the bill is likely to pass...snip more:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/thousands-gather-in/2451410.html
Jan 23, 2016: Around 5,000 activists staged a three-hour protest in Kuala Lumpur, Saturday, to oppose the government’s plan to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). The protesters demanded that the government hold an open parliamentary debate on the topic this coming week.
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How many times did the TPP come up in the last (D) Debate? Would Americans protest like Malaysians if they knew about it? Probably not. Americans don't really protest anything anymore.
