KUALA LUMPUR (July 10): Malaysia may not be able to meet the February 2019 ratification deadline for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), according to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

"The direction will be made more clear in the next few weeks, because Prime Minister [Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad] has already given his thoughts [on the pact]. We will finalise it at the Cabinet," the Minister of International Trade and Industry Darrel Leiking told reporters today.

Nevertheless, Leiking assured that Malaysia can still ratify and enforce the CPTPP after the stipulated deadline.

The ministry's secretary-general Datuk Isham Ishak said the ratification requires Malaysia to undertake some changes in its laws and regulations that directly pertains to the enforcement of the agreement, like those on the issues of labour, environment and intellectual property.

Asked for his thoughts on the start of the trade war between US and China, Leiking said the repercussions or benefits of it, if any, would only be seen in the next two weeks.

"Last Friday is when it started, so we will have to give it some time. There have been some countries that have shown interest but they are also analysing whether or not it is feasible because the trade war may not last very long, it is still very volatile at this juncture," said Isham.

They were speaking to reporters after Leiking and his ministry's team accepted courtesy visits from the representatives of Singapore, South Korea, Australia and England, where they expressed their support for Malaysia and their interest to invest here.

"This tells you that all these nations recognise the Pakatan [Harapan] government as well as the good work that MITI has done all these years," said Leiking.

Meanwhile, Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Andrew Goledzinowski said he is optimistic on Malaysia ratifying the CPTPP, as Australia is likewise working towards.

Mexico was the first country to ratify the trade agreement, which replaces the now defunct Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement on the withdrawal of the US from the trade pact. Last Friday, Japan became the second country to ratify the agreement.