Photo Gallery : Launch of Rethinking Bilateral Investment Treaties

"The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement is back without the United States and Malaysia has agreed to it.

Today, my friends Burghard Ilge and Kavaljit Singh launched their book along with Karina Yong from Third World Network, and discussed the challenges which lie ahead for Malaysia, especially on giving special rights for only foreign corporations to sue our country.

Investor-State Dispute Settlement or ISDS as it is popularly known, has created a huge ripple in the TPP and another big deal Malaysia is signing, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)."

                                                                       -- Charles Santiago, Director of MSN

No proof Malaysia will benefit from CPTPP, say economists

Source : The Malaysian Insight

Low Han Shaun    Published on 18 Nov 2017

Burghard Ilge says most treaties have survival clauses, meaning they are still in effect for a certain amount of years after the date of termination. 

THERE is no proof that Malaysia will benefit from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), said economists.

A public forum today was told that the CPTPP, formerly known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and other similar treaties might even be detrimental to the country.

Activist: Many govts clueless about economic treaties signed

Source : Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: A senior policy officer with a global sustainability advocacy group says many governments are clueless about the economic treaties they have signed, leaving them open to be sued by foreign investors for “unfulfilled expectations”.

Burghard Ilge of Both ENDS, headquartered in Amsterdam, said the terms of treaties like the planned Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) were usually influenced by powerful investors who wanted the ability to take action on countries that did not meet expected “promises”.

Launch of "Rethinking Bilateral Investment Treaties : Critical Issues and Policy Choices"

Monitoring Sustainability of GlobalizatioN (MSN) cordially invite you to a book launch entitled: "Rethinking Bilateral Investment Treaties : Critical Issues and Policy Choices".

The book launch will coincide with a public forum titled Free Trade Agreement, Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) and Its Impact on Human Rights.

The event details are as follow :

Date : Saturday, 18 November 2017
Time : 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Venue : Event Hall, Gerakbudaya
2, Jalan Bukit 11/2, 46200 Petaling jaya, Selangor.

FTAs create boom in business of suing govts

by  Sheith Khidhir Bin Abu Bakar    November 20, 2015   Source ： Free Malaysia Today 

PETALING JAYA: The business of suing governments has flourished as nations enter into various free trade agreements (FTAs), according to Klang MP Charles Santiago.

Speaking today as he reviewed a chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), Santiago claimed that there had been a “mushrooming” of legal firms that specialize in helping multinational corporations sue governments.

He said that suits against governments that allegedly violate FTAs would often be settled outside the courts by international arbitration tribunals.

TPPA: Who are the winners and losers?

 FMT Reporters   November 9, 2015   Source : Free Malaysia Today 

KLANG: Klang MP Charles Santiago today demanded that Prime Minister Najib Razak explain his statement about the inevitability of some countries losing out in any free trade agreement (FTA).

He was referring to Najib’s recent remark that “there will be winners and losers in the process, but the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages of FTAs.”

Speaking at a press conference, Santiago said Najib and International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed must pinpoint for the public who would be the winners and losers in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) and explain how the losers would be compensated.