Chapter 3 - Report of the Research and Policy Development Group of the advantages and disadvantages of adhering to the TPPA. A model for such analysis could be that conducted by New Zealand regarding its participation in the original TPPA. The report stressed that continued surveillance of domestic policy development in the US is necessary. (iv) Although the report did not assess the human rights impact of Malaysia’s participation in the FTA/TPPA, such elements were indeed embedded therein. This is evident in the section discussing the impact of FTA/TPPA on the accessibility of generic drugs vis-a-vis provision for more stringent regulations in relation to drug patents. (v) The report also examined the strategies and styles applied by the US in negotiating previous FTAs with other State Parties. Based on these, the report outlined strategies to be employed by Malaysia’s negotiators. (d) Follow-up Meeting with the MTUC and MTAAG+ The Commission met the two NGOs on 6 September to update them on action pursuant to their memorandum. At the meeting, the NGO representatives criticised the Government for its continued lack of transparency. Since the TPPA negotiations are expected to be concluded by the end of 2013, it was recommended that the Commission should conduct a Public Inquiry on the impact of the FTA and TPPA. It was further suggested that the text and relevant documents relating to negotiations, as well as the UNDP report, should be made available for public scrutiny. (e) Human Rights Research Grant on Business and Human Rights (i) Research workshop The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) organised a Research Workshop on the ‘Role of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) for Business and Human Rights in Southeast Asia’ from 9-12 July in Bangkok. Representatives of four Southeast Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum (SEANF) members – the NHRI for Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand respectively – attended together with a Commissioner from the newly-established Myanmar Commission of Human Rights. The aims were to: • Enhance practical implementation of human rights standards in Asia through effective NHRIs and academic institutions, as the actors with the strongest potential to make a positive impact on human rights in the region; and • Help seed collaborative research on the role, mandate and experience of NHRIs in addressing violation of human rights by business entities. Following the workshop, the Commission agreed to collaborate with Mr Nisar Mohammad Ahmad, an academician from the Islamic Science University of Malaysia who had also attended the workshop, to submit a research proposal on business and human rights to the RWI for a grant amounting to US$6,650. 94