TPP WOULD CREATE JOBS, BRING PROSPERITY TO MALAYSIA AND US, SAYS AMBASSADOR

By Salmy Hashim

WASHINGTON, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, one of the nine members of the
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), is confident that the trade pact would not only
enhance trade, but also create jobs and bring prosperity to both Malaysia and
the United States, Malaysian Ambassador to the US Dr. Jamaludin
Jarjis said here Thursday.

The pact would remove trade obstacles between the two countries and Malaysia
would benefit from the elimination of duties on 12.4 per cent of its exports
particularly on footwear, textile and apparel, he told Bernama.

Malaysia would also enjoy the elimination of specific duties on cocoa
products, petroleum oils, metal products, clocks and watches.

The country became the ninth full negotiating member of the TPP on October 5
this year joining the United States, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Australia, New
Zealand, Chile, and Peru.

Jamaludin told the US International Trade Commission recently, Malaysia's
bilateral trade with TPP member countries totaled US$95.26 billion or 28.9
per cent of its total trade in 2009.

The top trading partners of Malaysia in TPP are Singapore and the United
States.

US Trade Representative Ron Kirk told the US Congress in October that US
exports last year to Malaysia totaled US$10 billion of which agricultural
exports comprised US$700 million.

The Malaysian government's adoption of the Strategic Goods Act (Malaysia)
was another milestone in US-Malaysia relations, Jamaludin said at the dual
celebrations of Malaysia's 53rd National Day and the 77th Armed Forces Day.

Malaysia's National Day celebration which falls on August 31st, had been
postponed because of Ramadan, Hari Raya and the Summer holidays.

The Strategic Goods Act enacted by the Malaysian government in 2010 was to
control the export of sensitive technology and materials in order to combat
terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

On Thursday night's celebrations at the Embassy, Jamaludin said it marked a
new chapter in partnership between Malaysia and the US under the leaderships of
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and President Barack Obama who first
met on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit which were later followed up
by Malaysian ministers visits to the US and reciprocal visits by US Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defence Robert Gates to Malaysia
recently.

He earlier told Bernama that the Deputy Prime Minister, Muhyiddin
Yassin, who would be in Boston on a private visit, had agreed to perform his
official duties in Washington in January by calling on top US officials and
meeting the new leaders of Congress now led by the Republicans, and strengthen
trade and bilateral relations.

In his speech, the Ambassador also noted that Malaysia was proud to be part
of the US-led international efforts to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan.
In July Malaysia sent a military medical contingent to Afghanistan to bring
much-needed medical aid to the Afghans, especially to Afghan women.

--BERNAMA



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