Firmer commitment towards human rights conventions needed, says Suhakam chairman

KUALA LUMPUR: "More needs to be done as Malaysia is behind other countries in terms of being a party to human rights conventions," says Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam.

Hasmy does not want Malaysia to stay in the 'comfort zone' when it comes to acceding (becoming a party to) human rights conventions. He says that the 'comfort zone' is in fact an uncomfortable one.

Malaysia has only acceded three of the nine core human rights conventions or treaties, having ratified conventions related to women, children and disability, but "all with a few reservations".

"We are among the less than a dozen countries that have ratified or acceded to only three or less of these conventions," he said.

However, he explains that there are still six other conventions that Suhakam is still pushing for - racial discrimination, civil and political rights, torture, migrant workers, and protection of all persons from enforced disappearance.

"We're among the last dozen of the bottom of the list in terms of human rights commissions worldwide. We do not compare well with the other Asean member states as we have only done three of the nine conventions," said Hasmy, who enjoyed a distinguished career in the diplomatic service.

In comparison to other Asian countries, Hasmy says that Malaysia is on par with Myanmar who has also completed three of the nine conventions. Malaysia is also slightly ahead of Singapore and Brunei who have only done two.

However, Vietnam is party to five of the nine conventions; Cambodia, Laos and Thailand have done seven; and the Philippines and Indonesia have completed eight.

We need to persuade the Government to move towards early accession to the remaining six human rights treaties," said Hasmy.

"So that by the time we join the ranks of the developed nations in 2020 or thereabouts, we would have done all and we would be able to put our heads high and proud and be in the vanguard of those nations that fully respect and uphold human rights and not be among the laggards, as we are now," he continued.

(2013-08-10/thestar)