SINGAPORE, Feb 23 —  The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Ministerial Meeting continued into the second day here today with great hopes of reaching an early conclusion.

This is despite mounting scepticism that the goal is far being reached and the meeting this time covers both new and traditional trade and investment issues.

Trade Ministers and officials from Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, the United States, Vietnam and Singapore will also seek to create jobs and promote economic development.

Malaysia is represented by Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

The four-day meeting which began yesterday saw bilateral talks on the sidelines between Japan, the United States, Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Brunei.

The last ministerial meeting was held in the republic last December, where ministers discussed the potential way forward for many outstanding issues.

The TPP is envisioned as a high-quality and comprehensive trade agreement that will go beyond tariff elimination and other traditional trade issues to address emerging challenges faced by modern businesses.

For Malaysia, despite all the advantages the TPP offers, it will continue with the domestic process of engagement and consultations with the Parliamentary Caucus, civil society and other stakeholders to share with them the government’s stand on various issues.

In making clear Malaysia's stance, Mustapa was earlier quoted by Bernama as saying that at the last ministerial meeting in Singapore, Malaysia had highlighted its specific concerns and sensitivities in the areas of government procurement, state-owned enterprises, Bumiputera issues, IPR, environment and ISDS (investor-state dispute settlement).

This is alongside the need for flexibilities, including carve-outs, transition periods and country-specific commitments.

Mustapa also reiterated that after the conclusion of the TPP negotiations, the text will be presented to Parliament for debate. — Bernama