KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 — The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) today expressed support for the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, but warned Putrajaya on a clause allowing foreigners to hold posts in workers’ unions.

Cuepacs president Datuk Azih Muda urged the government to conduct a study on the specific provision, saying it would leave the country open to foreign influence.

“If the government can make exceptions for state powers, Bumiputera rights and others, we, speaking on behalf of all unions in the country, call to disallow foreigners from holding leadership roles in unions, once the TPP is signed, he told reporters here, at the Public Sector Enforcement Assembly in the CIDB Convention Centre.

“If we allow foreigners to assume leadership roles, they will call in outsiders to interfere, and believe me, this will happen. We do not want our country to be run by foreigners in the future,” he added.

Despite all this, he said Cuepacs supported the signing as he believed it would benefit the job market as well as create healthy competition in the country.

“Parliament is discussing [the TPP] today, and let them discuss it, but we have decided that we support the TPP because we expect it to increase job opportunities. And we want a growing economy, and we want our work to be widespread in the world, and we want healthy competition,” he said.

In the chapter on labour in the TPP, Malaysia had committed to removing restrictions on union formation and strikes, limiting governmental discretion in registering and cancelling trade unions, and to allow foreign workers to assume leadership positions in unions given the worker had been working in the country for a period of time, among others.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, in charge of negotiating Malaysia’s terms in the trade deal, had earlier this month said TPP’s provisions would give workers more avenues to voice their views.

Negotiations concluded on October 5 last year.

The TPP covers 12 countries: Malaysia, the US, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Parliament is currently debating the pacific trade deal, which began yesterday and will be put to a vote today.

Participating countries are expected to sign or opt out of the deal by February, with those signing being given two years to ratify the TPPA.