Speaking to FMT, Charles Santiago (DAP-Klang) said neither Prime Minister Najib Razak nor International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed had backed their claims of competitiveness with any solid facts.
“They have not backed their claims on why Malaysia would be more competitive. Repeating the word competitive over and over will not make the country competitive,” he said.
Saying that there were many actions that needed to be taken before Malaysia could benefit from such an agreement, Santiago added, “Our system of education has to be fixed; we need to move from a labour intensive nation to a technological-centred economy. So many things have to be changed including eliminating corruption.”
Santiago explained that American businessmen were “unhappy” with the extent of corruption in the country and cited the RM2.6 billion donation deposited into Najib’s private bank accounts and the alleged financial scandals of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) as prime examples.
“Business communities shy away from investing in countries that are corrupt, especially when the number one man in the country is linked to it as in Zimbabwe,” he pointed out.
On Najib’s statement that the US was happy that Malaysia supported the TPP, Santiago said it was due to the US enjoying the upper hand in the agreement.
“Yes, of course (they are happy), this is because the TPP rules are in favour of them over us and it gives them huge opportunities for profits.”
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