Trade ministers from a dozen Pacific nations in Trans-Pacific Partnership Ministers meeting post in TPP Ministers ‘Family Photo’ in Atlanta, Georgia October 1, 2015. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — A special parliamentary session will be convened for the tabling of the Trans-Pacific Partnership next month, Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee confirmed.

Kiandee said Parliament will convene for two days starting January 26, during which the Bill on the TPP will be debated and voted on.

"The way of voting will be decided when the special sitting is held," he was quoted as saying by Malay daily Berita Harian.

The TPP is a free trade agreement that has been negotiated by the US, Malaysia and ten other nations as part of the larger Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership since 2010.

On October 5, Malaysia together with US, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam concluded negotiations on the TPP. The governments must now seek their individual countries’ mandates to sign the deal.

Last week, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said his ministry will organise a workshop in the middle of January to explain the details of the deal to lawmakers from both sides of the political divide.