Foreign minister’s commitment to ratify six UN human rights conventions welcomed

The Human Rights Society of Malaysia (Hakam) wholeheartedly welcomes and supports the foreign minister’s commitment to ensure Malaysia’s compliance with globally recognised human rights standards.

New Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah reportedly pledged to push for the ratification of six international human rights conventions.

These six international human rights conventions have been identified to include:

1. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
2. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
3. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
4. The UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment and Punishment
5. The International Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and
6. The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

First and foremost, Hakam wholeheartedly welcomes and supports the foreign minister’s commitment to ensure Malaysia’s compliance with globally recognised human rights standards.

Hakam also recommends the Malaysian government consider ratifying other equally important international human rights conventions, such as the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. This is especially important considering the refugee crisis occurring globally, as well as regionally in light of the plight of ethnic Rohingyas fleeing from persecution in Myanmar.

Hakam also urges the Malaysian government to remove all necessary reservations in the international human rights conventions which it has ratified – namely, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw), and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Hakam looks forward to working with the minister to advance our commitment to human rights. And place Malaysia in the forefront as an indefatigable defender of human rights.

Lim Wei Jiet is secretary-general of Hakam. This state was issued on behalf of the Hakam executive committee.

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

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