TPPA Not The Only Solution To Reduce Income Diparities: Malaysian Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is not the only solution in reducing income disparities in the country, said Minister of International Trade and Industry, Mustapa Mohamed. Mustapa said the TPPA did not provide a complete solution in reducing income disparities as there were other policies to achieve this objective which included the policy to eradicate poverty and the New Economic Model. He said this at RTM (Malaysian public broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia) dialogue talk show entitled "TPPA Enlightenment" here Monday. Mustapa also stressed on the government's effort in assisting the small and medium scale enterprises to increase their capacity to compete at global level. He was also pleased with the efforts made by government agencies in disseminating information to the public on the TPPA. The TPPA negotiations launched in 2005, involved 12 countries. -- BERNAMA