Ayomi Amindoni – The House of Representatives has been urged to openly supervise the government's assessment of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) to avoid misinformation on the cost and benefit of joining the pact and to assure the decision does not harm the national interest.

"The House's supervision of the government allows the negotiation process to be open to the public, so that we know what's on the table," Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ) spokeswoman Hertanti Rachmi told thejakartapost.com on Tuesday.

IGJ has teamed up with the Indonesian Peasant Alliance and the ASEAN Solidarity Economic Community (ASEC) Indonesia to monitor and supervise the government's plan to join the US-led trade pact.

According to Hertanti, there are three potential consequence of the TPP that should be carefully monitored by the public.

First is the possible threat to Indonesia's sovereignty and democracy; second, the risk of violating Jokowi's nine priority programs of development (Nawa Cita); and third, the exposure to vital sectors affecting people's lives. "We urge the House to also express opposition to the TPP," Hertanti said.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo assured US journalists that his ongoing official visit had nothing to do with the TPP, and that nothing to do with the agreement would be included in the ASEAN-US Summit agenda.

"Everything is still in the process of calculation. We have nothing to do with the TPP here, it's all about the ASEAN-US Summit," the President said in a press statement on Tuesday.

Indonesia, he continued, was prioritizing a free-trade agreement with the EU, namely the EU-Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The trade pact with European countries could take up to three years of preparation, he noted. "It takes time. Not just a month or two, but could be up to two or three years. It's a long process," Jokowi added.

Trade Minister Thomas Lembong added that Indonesia still had to go through a long process before formally joining the TPP, including technical and political processes. "Even TPP members have yet to ratify the agreement. They have only sealed the deal, ratification still has to go through their respective legislatures," he said. (ags)(+)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/17/house-must-monitor-tpp.html