TPPA's Copyright Provision will stop free access to online journals

KUALA LUMPUR: A coalition of university students expressed concern on the Copyright Provision within the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) which would stop their free access to online journals for their studies.
Its representative, Azzan Aznan, a third year law student, told theSun today that he believes if Malaysia sign as a partner to the TPPA, it will only tighten the noose for both universities and students because the need to access periodical journals which are currently made free will be stopped.
"We need to improve the 1987 Copyright Act first because if we don't, we'll be forced to follow the TPPA's provision.
"It restricts the use of online journals for us as well as the lecturers. For instance, at my university, the IP address is connected to other journals available in both local and foreign universities," the third year law International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) student explained.
He said currently there are 26 student movements which have agreed that Malaysia signing on as a TPPA partner would prove to be a drastic move and would impinge on their studies.
They are seeking an explanation from both the Higher Education and the International Trade and Industry ministries.
They also hope to get clarifications, among others, if the court has the power to destroy computers and printing machines owned by a university that have been used by students to upload copyrighted journals (even without knowledge of any violation), only to print it later using the university's printer.
"We truly hope the government will do the right thing by rejecting the TPPA to protect our welfare as students and not prioritise corporate interests," he said.
He was speaking to theSun after protesting against the provision with several other students in front of University Malaya's Dewan Tunku Canselor here.