12/19/2013

The creepy Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP)

The last negotiation for the TPP was held in Singapore with the Americans having very high hope that Singapore as the Chairman of the talk would deliver to Obama an agreement before the end of the year. Somehow the Americans have this very loyal and diligent ally to do its bidding in getting things done when the Americans are no longer able to do so with so much distrust it has built up over the years. No one really trusts the Americans anymore, not its western allies. And the most remarkable thing is that the American Congress was also suspicious of this TPP. In the words of Nancy Pelosi, she urged the Congress to approve the TPP as time was the essence and once it is signed, Congress would then have a chance to know what the TPP is all about.

Can you believe that? The American Congress was asked to sign a blank cheque without knowing what they were signing? And if the American Congress refused to sign something they did not know, why would any country feel so confident and so good that they should blindly sign on the dotted line? Are these people stupid or crazy or being bribed or under a spell?


The TPP has aroused intense suspicion and much opposition in the US Congress but not from some of the loyal American cronies who think of nothing but to go along. At the Singapore session, the Asian negotiating partners too have refused to bow to Washington’s pressure to conclude the deal before the end of they year so that Obama can celebrate Christmas with this Christmas present.

One important feature of the TPP that is sending cold sweat down the spines of the negotiating parties is its secretive nature. Many things are concealed and the parties negotiating it have no clue whatsoever. It is really amazing, really bizarre that the Americans could proposed a trade pact with secret terms that the signing parties have no privy to and are expected to sign, or presumably stupid enough to do so. And there are some parties who pretended to be so intelligent and so knowledgeable to sign the pact without knowing the secretive parts of the pact. Or maybe these few insiders knew what were the non disclosed terms in the pact. But this is very unlikely. How could they be so privileged to know when the American Congress was not allowed to know?

‘This secret treaty gives the public no chance to examine the contents,
and even govts have no right to comment.’ From the look of it, this treaty is going to be hundreds of times more dangerous than the CECA Singapore signed with India. Should Singaporeans allow the govt to go ahead and sign this TPP when the American Congress is also feeling uncomfortable and insecure and signing it would only make them look like fools?

There must be more transparency and the parties signing the agreement must know what they are signing. This is basic. The Americans are as good as saying, trust us, no need to worry, it is good for you. My God, how many govts are willing to be treated like naïve little children, offered a lollipop and happily impress their thumb prints on a piece of paper that may sign the lives of their citizens away?

If the Singapore govt is going to sign this TPP, should the Singaporeans object to it and demand to know what the govt is signing? We did not ask what the govt was signing when the CECA was signed. Now we know and the citizens would want to tear it to pieces. Are Singaporeans daft enough to allow the govt to sign another sweeping agreement that they did not know and neither does the govt?

Is this fiction or is this real? This signing of the TPP is like something the British colonialists made the Temengong signed in the early 19th century. But then the Temengong did not have any option as the offer could not be resisted At the moment the Singapore govt seems to be the most comfortable with the TPP and is behaving like the pipe piper. It is so scary.

9 comments:

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

This looks like something no one is interested to find out. It would be just like CECA. By the time it is signed the damage is already done. Too late to cry and ask how come we dunno?

Anonymous said...

redbean.
You are correct to be concerned.
But nothing can stop this.

can you stop the population white paper?
can you stop CECA?
The list goes on.

No choice.
Just diam, diam and wait.
I figure a few more riots and bus strikes and God knows what else will have to happen before the deaf frogs will change policy direction.
PAP is very likely marching to a 50 year plan designed by LKY.
PAP will not do any re-think while LKY is alive.
And will likely only do a re-think 10 years after LKY's death.

In the meantime, keep voting PAP lor!

Anonymous said...

Singapore urgently needs to legislate the Freedom of Information law.

Abao said...

Hi Redbean,

yes this is a bad trade agreement that sells our IP enforcement rights to the US

unfortunately singapore is pushing for its signing.

As you know i am no in agreement with you on the china/japan issue but on this issue i am 100% in agreement.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi Abao, it's ok. I don't expect everyone to agree with me in everything. Everyone should not be afraid to stick to their own beliefs if they believe in them strongly based on whatever facts or views or interests they have.

Anonymous said...

TPP was originally the brain child of Chile, Peru, Brunei and Singapore to stimulate trade among these countries astriding the Pacific Ocean. However it was later hijacked by the Evil Empire - USA which eventually took full control of the organisation and use it as a means to check China's trade with countries across the two sides of the Pacific Ocean so as to contain CHINA'S increasing mutual wealthy trade with the countries concerned and thus to achieve the Evil Empire's ultimate aim of containing china and stop her peaceful development. The Evil Empire is finding itself unable to maintain its number one position in all spheres and so it has to resort to unfair wicked contorted means whatever to try to maintain the number one position come what come may. The Evil Empire may try IN VAIN by all means to keep its number one position but they should remember the altruistic dictum, 'MAN PROPOSES BUT GOD DISPOSES.'

SOUTHERNGLORY1

Anonymous said...

tpp main target is ... CHINA

and ultimely the member cuntries citizens; they automatically beCum slaves to the americunt master

but singapornang not problem; old fart already sold us to his japenis master and those white men

later his descandent sold us to ah neh, pinoy,

so much so even have a white man in the family ... is this KARMA??

Anonymous said...

Yep, after selling us to India they are going to deliver us to the Evil Empire.

b said...

"Are Singaporeans daft enough to allow the govt to sign another sweeping agreement that they did not know and neither does the govt? "

- I think deep in everyone heart the answer is too obvious. Without this level of daftness, the papapigs would not have flourished to this extent. Sinky daftness is what that promotes their greed to a level never seen in sg history.