Stop FTA talks and talk to the people first

by  Fauwaz Abdul Aziz     Published 19 Oct 2006      Source : Malaysiakini

Before and after every round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, the US trade representative provides briefings and reports to business and industry groups in that country.

But why is the Malaysian government not disclosing any information on the talks to its own people?

Posing this question today, a coalition of opposition political parties, non-governmental organisations and civil society have demanded that the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) stops the FTA talks with the US until a thorough study is done on all the issues concerned and disclosed to the public.

Privatisation: Govt flayed for not consulting civil society

by Adriana Nordin Manan     Published 23 Jun 2005    Source ： Malaysiakini

The government today came under fire for not including the civil society in the consultative process on plans to privatise water supply and healthcare in the country.

Panelists and individuals at the 'Privatising Water and Health Services in Malaysia?' forum in Kuala Lumpur demanded increased inclusiveness in every level of the process.

Without mincing his words, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy secretary-general Xavier Jayakumar, who was one of the panelists, took the government to task for not keeping the deliberation process transparent.