ID :
346340
Fri, 10/31/2014 - 09:46
Auther :

Malaysia To Continue With Constructive Engagement On Human Rights - Envoy

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will continue to engage constructively and positively with all partners and stakeholders on human rights and fundamental freedoms, said its permanent representative to the United Nations, Hussein Haniff. He said it was important to attach to the continued promotion and protection of human rights, not only at the national but also at the regional and international levels. He said Malaysia took a holistic approach to human rights and reaffirmed that human rights were universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. "Malaysia believes the promotion and protection of human rights needs to be undertaken by all countries with full respect to the significance of national and regional particularities, and various cultural, social, economic and political circumstances," he said. Hussein said this in his address on Agenda 68 (B): Human Rights Questions Including Alternative Approaches for Improving the Effective Enjoyment of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and Agenda 68 (C): Human Rights Situations and Reports of Special Rapporteurs and Representatives of the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York Thursday. The text of his speech was released here Friday. Hussein reiterated that Malaysia was convinced that the mutually beneficial partnership fostered with the Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights positively and significantly contributed to the advancement of human rights causes in the country. "This fruitful partnership stems from Malaysia's commitments in promoting and protecting human rights at the national, regional and international levels, including on the clarification and elaboration of international human rights norms, standards and practices," he said. He said Malaysia's commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights was further demonstrated through the establishment of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) in 1999. "As Suhakam has been mandated to promote awareness of human rights through education, Malaysia will continue, as a matter of priority, to increase support for the role and functioning of the independent body," he added. On the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Hussein said Malaysia was committed to implement the 150 out of 232 recommendations on various human rights issues received at the 17th Session of the UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council on Oct 24 last year. "Malaysia views the UPR process as an important mechanism to enhance the international community's efforts to promote and protect human rights, as it encourages voluntary, rather than imposed, changes," he said. When addressing Agenda 70 on the Report of the International Court of Justice at the Plenary Meeting of the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on the same day, Hussein said Malaysia was committed to the pacific settlement of international disputes through peaceful means, namely in the cases of sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan, and sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge. "While Malaysia does not rule out other dispute resolution mechanisms for satisfactory resolution of our claims, we believe that the court has provided the international community with an important independent and impartial avenue for member states to seek legal recourse for their disputes," he said. -- BERNAMA

X