The Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department (BHEUU JPM), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra), the United Nations in Malaysia and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) jointly commemorated Human Rights Day with a Forum on the theme “Empowering our rights, securing our future : Corporate responsibility for the people and the nation.
The program was inaugurated by Yang Berhormat Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform). In his official speech, he highlighted that the celebration of Human Rights Day serves to remember the vital role we play in the promotion and protection of human rights.
The initiatives undertaken by the Government range from the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights to expanding access to justice through legal aid, alternative dispute resolution, promoting transparency with the development of a freedom law of information, the strengthening of SUHAKAM through amendments to the SUHAKAM Law of 1999 [Ley 597] and the security of our cyberspace. These initiatives demonstrate the government’s firm commitment to defending human rights and promoting a more just society.
The President of SUHAKAM, Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Seri Mohd Hishamudin Md. Yunus, in his welcome speech, mentioned that “human rights are not mere aspirations, but obligations rooted in our Federal Constitution, in international commitments and in humanity shared.
Furthermore, he stated that “in our interconnected global economy, companies have immense potential to drive positive change. However, they also have a deep responsibility to ensure that their growth and operations do not come at the cost of human dignity.”
Human Rights in China and Western “rhetoric”
In her opening remarks, Karima El Korri, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, stressed that human rights are of particular importance for countries like Malaysia, which aspire to achieve high-income and developing country status. where many of the pressing rights challenges coincide closely with last-mile development priorities. Achieving human rights and the SDGs requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, in which business plays a crucial role. Furthermore, by adopting rights-respecting strategies, companies not only respect ethical standards but also reap tangible business benefits.
The forum featured an interesting panel discussion on business and human rights, moderated by Dr. Punitha Silivarajoo, Deputy Director General (Policy and Development), BHEUU.
YM Tengku Fauzi Tengku Abdul Hamid (Vice President of SUHAKAM), Shireen Jasmin Ali (Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry), Luanne Sieh (CIMB Group) and Siti Nur Alina (PETRONAS) participated in the round table. Edmund Bon, Representative of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), and Dr. Pichamon Yeopanthong, Chair of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, contributed via video messages.
«Human rights are not mere aspirations, but obligations rooted in our Federal Constitution, in international commitments and in shared humanity»
The Forum also witnessed the presentation ceremony of the SUHAKAM Human Rights Module for Educators by Minister YB of the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform) and the presentation of the main human rights treaties and Conventions of Geneva in Bahasa Melayu by Yang Berbahagia Amb. Dato’ Bala Chandran Tharman, Deputy Secretary-General (Multilateral Affairs) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In his closing speech, Dato’ Bala Chandran Tharman highlighted Malaysia’s achievements at the Human Rights Council, including efforts to protect marginalized groups, champion the cause of Palestinians and implement the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review. He reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to promoting human rights, including empowering women, keeping children safe in the digital space and protecting older people.
More than 500 participants from the Government, the diplomatic corps, youth, academia, the private sector and civil society organizations attended the Forum.
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