This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on March 7, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia said it will not be part of the first batch of the signatory countries that will benefit from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) by early 2019.

“There is speculation that only six countries will be able to implement the CPTPP by early next year,” said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

“So the other five countries, including Malaysia, will not get the benefits supposedly to come from the agreement,” Mustapa said at a press briefing yesterday.

To comply with the agreement, Malaysia is required to make 19 legislative amendments and so far, only one has been done. Hence, Mustapa said Malaysia will not have enough time to meet the deadline in early 2019.

“To be realistic, in my view, it’s not possible for Malaysia to make all the 18 amendments this year, between now and December. Maybe some can be done this year, but definitely not all.”

Mustapa did not state when exactly the second batch of the signatory countries will enjoy the trade agreement's benefits, nor did he give any specific timeline.

Considering the 14th general election this year, Parliament will be too busy to discuss CPTPP-related matters, he said.

“For this current session, not a single bill on CPTPP will be presented. Not too many bills will be discussed as the election is coming, therefore many other matters that are more urgent will be discussed,” he added.

CPTPP will be signed by all 11 participating countries — Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam — tomorrow in Santiago, Chile. Malaysia will be represented by the country’s chief negotiator Miti secretary-general Datuk Seri J Jayasiri.