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Broad based groups call for Malaysia to unequivocally support temporary suspension of WTO intellectual property enforcement

  • Publication Date | February 4, 2021
  • Document Type | Media Statement
  • Programmes | Development & Planning
  • Issues | Development, General
  • Tags | Covid-19, intellectual property, TRIPS, vaccines, WHO, World Trade Organisation
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vaccine, covid-19, vials

*This media statement is issued by the Consumers Association of Penang and endorsed by Sahabat Alam Malaysia.

Twenty-eight organisations including the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) and three community activists have called for Malaysia to join other developing countries in a global effort to remove monopolies on crucial medical products in the fight against COVID-19.

A letter was sent to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin bin Hj Mohd Yassin today as members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) continue their discussion on a proposal to temporarily suspend implementation, application and enforcement of several parts of intellectual property agreement of the WTO for a defined period. 

The signatories stress that this move will open the door to more research and development as well as production of needed COVID-19 medical products – diagnostic kits, medicines for treatment, vaccines and also personal protective gear. 

As the first vaccines are approved and rolled out for treatment, it has shocked the developing world and international organisations such as the World Health Organization, to see the “vaccine nationalism” and hoarding that has swept the rich countries. While it is understandable that each government wants to protect its own citizens, a pandemic such as COVID-19 demands that the whole world work together because saving a few while the rest of the world suffers will not save anyone in the long run. Viruses especially when they mutate to become more infectious will not respect borders.

A major reason for shortages of the crucial COVID-19 medical products is insufficient production capacity and intellectual property is a big factor because of the monopolies created that end up limiting the number of manufacturers.  

Unfortunately rich countries and the multinational pharmaceutical industry have been strongly opposing the proposal first tabled by India and South Africa on 2 October 2020 to have a temporary suspension of  relevant parts of the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). 

The so-called “Waiver Proposal” at the WTO is now co-sponsored by South Africa, India, Kenya, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Egypt. Almost 100 developing countries and the poorest countries are supporting this move.  There is also worldwide support from many international organisations and eminent individuals, and public pressure is growing in the US, Europe, Canada and Japan where those governments are blocking the Waiver Proposal at the WTO.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on 18 January said that “we now face the real danger that even as vaccines bring hope to some, they become another brick in the wall of inequality between the world’s haves and have-nots”. He gave shocking information on vaccine distribution: “More than 39 million doses of vaccine have now been administered in at least 49 higher-income countries. Just 25 doses have been given in one lowest-income country. Not 25 million; not 25 thousand; just 25.”

“I need to be blunt: the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure – and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries,” Dr Tedros said.

Last week, the world watched the European Union fight for timely delivery of the vaccine that it had ordered from AstraZeneca under an “advance purchase agreement” and raising questions of shipments sent to the United Kingdom from manufacturing plants in Europe. Delays and under- delivery of the expected doses led the EU to impose an export restriction until end of March that requires EU prior authorization before vaccines destined for other countries can leave its territory. There is widespread concern that companies with approved vaccines may have over-committed in signing numerous advance purchase agreements with countries that can afford to pay, and delivery delays can jeopardise vaccination programmes. 

Meanwhile, the US is catching up on its national COVID-19 response, and recognizing the emergency scale of affairs President Biden has invoked the Defense Production Act of 1950 that is used in war time to ensure sufficient supply of essential goods. This Act allows the US president to require businesses to accept and prioritize contracts for materials deemed necessary for national defense, regardless of a loss incurred on business. In addition to securing its vaccine supply, the US will tackle its shortages that include N95 masks, isolation gowns, nitrile gloves, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sample collection swabs, test reagents, laboratory analysis machines for PCR tests, high-absorbency foam swabs, nitrocellulose material for rapid antigen tests, rapid test kits and all the necessary equipment and material to accelerate the manufacture, delivery, and administration of COVID-19 vaccine. While prepared to take all necessary action at home, the US is blocking the Waiver Proposal needed for a global effort. 

The Malaysian Government has announced that there will be multiple suppliers of vaccines – but our total dependency on imports from limited sources puts us in a very vulnerable position and a global solution must be the way forward.

The ongoing vaccine scramble and potential future conflicts over medicines that can treat COVID-19 and even PPE show the urgent need for the TRIPS Waiver to overcome the problems of shortages and to ramp up production across countries to provide the medical products equitably to small and big countries.

Mohideen Abdul Kader
President
Consumers Association of Penang

The twenty-eight (28) organisations are as follows:

1. Agora Society Malaysia
2. Citizens’ Health Initiative
3. Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP)
4. Crisis Home
5. Health Equity Initiatives
6. IDRIS Association
7. Jaringan Ekologi dan Iklim (JEDI)
8. Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas/PSM9. Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi Melayu (MTEM)
10. Malaysia AIDS Council
11. Malaysia Consumers Movement
12. Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations
13. Malaysian Women’s Action for Tobacco Control and Health (MyWATCH)
14. Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation (MSN)
15. Padi Rescue
16. Penang Forum17. Persatuan Insaf Murni Malaysia
18. Persatuan Persaudaraan Muslim Malaysia
19. Positive Malaysian Treatment Access & Advocacy Group20. Prostate Cancer Society Malaysia (PCSM)
21. Sahabat Alam Malaysia
22. Sekretariat Gagasan Darul Aman
23. Sekretariate Transformasi Qaryah Malaysia
24. Tanjung Bunga Residents Association, Penang
25. Teras Pengupayaan Melayu
26. Third World Network
27. Together Against Cancer
28. UNGGAS Malaysia

Individual advocates and activists: 

1. Isaac Tan
2. Jeremy Kwan
3. Manis Chen

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Testimonials

Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah satu badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang telah sekian lama berjuang mempertahan kelestarian alam. Ia juga mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya kebersamaan dalam pemikiran dan tindakan agar alam ini dapat kita wariskan kepada generasi hadapan dalam keadaan yang elok dan terpelihara. Dalam pada itu juga SAM giat membantu golongan nelayan pantai dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka sehinggalah tertubuhnya Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING). Nelayan pantai sepenuh masa ini dididik oleh SAM sehingga mereka mampu memainkan peranan sebagai pemimpin nelayan yang meneruskan kesinambungan memperjuangkan hak-hak nelayan pantai lainnya. Sebagai contoh SAM telah berjaya menyedarkan masyarakat nelayan keperluan menjaga hutan paya bakau untuk kebaikan hasil tangkapan nelayan itu sendiri.
Jamaluddin Mohamad Bualik
Jamaluddin Mohamad BualikPersatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING)
During the 1980s, I used to read about the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) in the news. After retirement, some time in 2001, while lazing around, I read news about the construction of a carbon in leach plant using sodium cyanide to extract gold in Bukit Koman. My friends and I visited CAP and we were introduced to SAM and her legal team. We discussed the details of filing a case against the gold mining company and the department of environment with Ms Meenakshi Raman and her legal team. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between lawyers from SAM and many of us from Bukit Koman. We had many ups and downs in our struggle to shut down the gold mine that was causing a nuisance in our village. But, as a community we never gave up because SAM had our backs.
Hue Fui How
Hue Fui HowSecretary, Bukit Koman Ban Cyanide in Goldmining Action Committee (BCAC)
Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat luar bandar khasnya. SAM menerima aduan-aduan masyarakat dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi. SAM telah mewujudkan ramai aktivis-aktivis sosial dan alam sekitar. Pada era 1980 dan 90an SAM sangat dihormati oleh masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan. Apabila media sosial menguasai maklumat maka SAM pun terkesan dan masalah masyarakat terus disalurkan dengan pelbagai cara. SAM perlu mewujudkan aktivis-aktivis pelapis yang muda untuk terus membantu masyarakat. SAM juga perlu membuat perubahan supaya banyak turun kelapangan dan jangan mengharapkan laporan media sahaja. Tingkatkan prestasi sebagaimana pada zaman kegemilangan SAM di era 80-90an.
Che Ani Mt Zain
Che Ani Mt Zain
SAM taught me the importance of social activism and the role it plays in upholding the rights of people and the protection of the environment. In my experience, SAM has never hesitated to speak up in defence of people and their environment, and has gone the extra mile to champion their rights, by helping communities take their battles to the higher ups and even to the courts.
Jessica Binwani
Jessica BinwaniPublic/Private Interest Lawyer
Semenjak kami kenal SAM, banyak pengalaman dan pengetahuan yg kami dapat. Kami telah belajar cara membuat baja asli daripada SAM. Semenjak itu, bermulalah minat kami dalam aktiviti pertanian. Dengan memperolehi kemahiran dalam membuat baja asli dan penanaman lestari, kami juga telah dapat menambahkan pendapatan sampingan kami. Ini lebih baik daripada tanah kami terbiar dan tidak diusahakan. Terima kasih SAM kerana sudi memberi bantuan dan tunjuk ajar kepada Persatuan kami.
Chedo Anak Nyuwen
Chedo Anak NyuwenPersatuan Penduduk Sg Buri, Bakong, Marudi
My journey with SAM started when her community organisers took me to the meet the paddy farmers of Kedah, connecting my growing interest in environmental law with our people who struggle to work the land in the face of pollution, replacement of traditional seeds with commercial hybrids and their accompanying chemical package of fertilisers and weedicides. I then had the honour to work with SAM in the struggle for the rights of the native communities of Sarawak, in defence of their forests from massive logging and destructive mega-projects. In every issue that SAM takes up, she combines rigorous research with the realities and voices of the communities to advocate for policies and laws that care for people and nature. From the courts to the elected legislators to policy makers and implementers and to the United Nations, SAM walks side by side with the communities in Malaysia. How can I not be inspired by the vision and passion of the generations of women and men who coalesce to form SAM?
Chee Yoke Ling
Chee Yoke Lingstudent of SAM, Executive Director of Third World Network, SAM’s sister organisation

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Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki, 11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi, Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

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