KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 – The Attorney-General Chamber’son Tuesday submitted a preliminary objection against an application for a judicial review by three non-governmental organisations (NGOs)to stop the government from signing the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).
The objection was submitted by senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan when the matter came up for mention in chambers before High Court judge Datuk Asmabi Mohamad. Shamsul was representing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Minister of International Trade and Industry Minister and the government, who were named the respondents in the application.
Also present was lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who represented Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) president Mohamad Raimi Ab Rahim, Secretariat to Address Social Menace (UNGGAS MALAYSIA) president Nurfitri Amir Muhammad and the Malaysian Association of Malay Education and Welfare (TERAS) vice-president Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman.
Shamsul, when met by reporters, said the preliminary objection was filed on grounds that the court had no jurisdiction to hear and decide on an application concerning TPPA as it involved agreement between countries. He added that it is not within the jurisdiction of the court to hear matters on policy decision on international treaties.
He said the court set Jan 12 next year to hear the application for the preliminary objection. Representatives from the three NGOs filed the judicial review application last Niv4. They are seeking a stay order from the court to prevent the three respondents from signing the TPPA until the disposal of their application.
They are also seeking a declaration that the signing the TPPA would amount to breach of the Federal Constitution and could undermine the country’s sovereignty. Besides Malaysia, countries affected in the TPPA negotiations are the United States of America, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
