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Issue of the day: TPP signed, RI to amend 12 laws

Feb

The Jakarta Post
Wed, February 10, 2016

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Issue of the day: TPP signed, RI to amend 12 laws

F

strong>Feb. 5, 2016

The government will intensify discussion in the House of Representatives on Indonesia'€™s intention to join the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was effectively signed in New Zealand on Thursday, despite rejections from the public and even some House members.

According to Trade Minister Thomas Lembong, the intensive discussions are necessary to synchronize several regulations in order to adjust to the Pacific Rim trade pact. Talks will concern, among other things, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) privatization and intellectual property rights.

'€œThe TPP regulates fair competition and how each member regulates its government'€™s treatment of its SOEs. Based on our estimation, at least 12 laws and bills need to be revised if we join the TPP,'€ Thomas said at the House complex in Jakarta on Thursday.

Your comments:

The TPP is a scam set up to allow corporations to sue governments over profit losses.

Simba1991

Remember, the people at the center of the TPP are Americans. The same lot who bombed the hell out of Cambodia on a whim, facilitated the rise of Soeharto and overthrew a democratically-elected government in Chile. All before they got round to messing things up in Afghanistan and Iraq. What could possibly go wrong in a deal with them?

Jmoffet


We already have so many free trade agreements, why not optimize the existing ones?

The TPP is like NAFTA but with more member countries. If Indonesia joins, the country will be forced to allow private enterprise to sue the government. That'€™s not a good idea. It breaches traditional sovereignty. And all this because the government is afraid of losing out to Vietnam'€™s textile industry?

The government is grabbing at a short-term solution, but the TPP is a long term agreement that will change the rules of the game in everything. I really hope the government hires competent experts before ratifying this dubious treaty.

Wildau

This agreement pits nation states against corporations, and the public will not lightly accept this confrontation. The critics need to take to the streets and protest, before it'€™s too late.

Jalasveva

Unfortunately this is a dog-eat-dog world.

Bamboowilly

Even if Indonesia finally agrees to the TPP, and makes the necessary changes to implement it, it will still mean that no one will want to buy the shoddy, easily broken rubbish that Indonesia produces. One hopes that international countries will come and set up shop here.

Unfortunately, the Indonesian government is sending out protectionist messages. It is looking at the exit of at least one big name in the international trade scene: the Ford Motor company.

Until Indonesia learns that it often angers and scares away foreign companies operating in the country by arbitrarily changing policies, it will not be an honest or law-abiding member of the TPP. The force of corruption is so strong that rooting it out and eliminating it will be almost impossible.

And given President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo'€™s acquiescence to the evisceration of the KPK, it'€™s not going to happen in this century. Indonesia will have to have severe penalties slapped on it when, and not if, it strays from the path set out by the TPP for its members.

Mauricegold

Most people in New Zealand support the TTP because they know that the country benefits overall from free trade agreements. There is only a small, noisy minority who object.

Maxplus


New Zealand is one of the founders of the TPP, along with Brunei, Singapore and Chile. Small countries typically benefit from free trade agreements because these agreements are meant to level the playing field, so to speak. But to infer that protestors are not acting in the public interest is unreasonable. New Zealanders have a long tradition of resisting oppression.

We should embrace the TPP if we want to reduce the population because this agreement is a death sentence for the average Indonesian. Say goodbye to affordable generic medicines.

The rich will survive the purge because they can afford the high prices the TPP will command. There'€™s a reason why this so-called agreement has been shrouded in
secrecy.

Joyoboyo

The cultural and economic re-alignment needed (creating jobs, raising living standards, reducing poverty, improving transparency in government) in Indonesia to achieve eligibility for the TPP is so immense that it will never happen and the ruling class will never agree to it as it would expose the sheer scale of their corruption for the world to see.

Brucelee4444

Vietnam will now have a huge competitive advantage over Indonesia because they can export goods to TPP nations with mostly zero tariffs.

As such, foreign investors will choose Vietnam for their factories. It'€™s quite ironic given Vietnam'€™s status as a communist country, but they are well ahead of the game.

Tempo Dulu


We cannot live as if the rest of the world does not exist. We have to take our share and in the coming years, do our best to join the TPP. It may be tough, but not as tough as being a third world country for the last few decades. It'€™s time for us to change.

Jekk

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