SEMPORNA, Oct 6 — The government needs to fine tune the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) before signing the trade accord, said Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

He said he would support whatever decision made by the government if it provided benefits to the people including in Sabah and Sarawak.

“What is important is the interest of all the rakyat in the country. We are confident that many issues have been discussed in depth during the negotiations.

“We believe the government has identified those matters that do not bring benefits to the country,” he said to reporters after visiting victims of the Kampung Simunul settlement fire here, today.

He also hoped the government would give a detailed explanation on the TPPA so that the rakyat understood how it would impact them.

The TPP negotiations involved 12 countries, namely Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, commenting on the 2016 Budget, Mohd Shafie, who is also Semporna

Member of Parliament, said he hoped the budget would also focus on development

in rural areas especially in Sabah and Sarawak.— Bernama