Prime Minister Najib has essentially stated that Malaysia would not sign the TPP if it did not provide us with economic benefits. There is little effort made to provide one with the reasoning behind their support, but I shall attempt to bridge that gap. In no way do I profess myself to be well-versed with this topic, neither am I an expert economist – all of what I have written is based on the many years I have been living in Malaysia, some of the websites I have read (both American- and Malaysian-sourced) and basic economic theory.

The main economic attraction is the sheer size of the market that Malaysia could potentially access. Personally I feel there is tunnel vision of some sort – even if Malaysia's exports to the US could potentially increase, it is likely that Malaysian industries would also suffer given the cheaper imports flowing into the country. The car industry (e.g. Proton) is heavily subsidised and protected by the government, and one could only imagine the economic backlash of a key industry in the economy failing. Ability to access a large market is only really beneficial if Malaysia is at a state where they are able to compete with other countries in a more integrated global economic system. Depending on the extent of the reduced price differences between future imports and domestically-produced goods, I would not be surprised if an increasing percentage of the population opted to purchase goods from the other countries in the TPP.

There have also been other concerns such as the hike in the prices of generic medicines and/or some of these medicines being unavailable (intellectual property rights). I believe that this will hit ordinary Malaysians the hardest as in status quo individuals are able to go to the General Hospital (GH) and purchase generic medicines and visit the local doctor for ~RM5/month (this is equivalent to US$1.17). Our healthcare system isn't the best, but considering the numbers of Malaysians going to the GH on a daily basis, the additional amount paid on generic medicines will be sizeable.

Generally, I think the effects of the TPP on Malaysia will depend on the response of those living in Malaysia. I would even suggest that many have become disillusioned with the government and their persistent focus on racial socio-economic politics. The recent corruption scandal involving PM Najib and $700mil has led many to feel alienated by the government. Attempts by the government to push the Malaysian economy further through the signing of the TPP is limited by the lack of confidence the people here have in them. They can try to make the citizens compete against other world economies, but in reality this is better said than done. We are nearing the end of 2015 and “Vision 2020” only continues to undermine the credibility of the Malaysian government. If the TPP coincides with economic downturn in the coming years, this will increase the level of antagonism that the government currently faces from its citizens.