ASEAN human rights body: Malaysian civil society presents recommendations on the national process
17 September 2009 3:06 am

Malaysian civil society presented
detailed recommendations about the national process of selecting the
representatives of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. The
letter was sent to the Malaysian Prime Minister on 9 September 2009.

Malaysian civil society presented
detailed recommendations about the national process of selecting the
representatives of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. The
letter was sent to the Malaysian Prime Minister on 9 September, 2009.

The Malaysian civil society organisations welcome the announcement that ASEAN
leaders will issue a political declaration for the ASEAN Intergovernmental
Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) on behalf of
Malaysian Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and as Malaysian focal point for
70 organizations under the coalition of the Solidarity for Asian People's
Advocacy Task Force on ASEAN and Human Rights (SAPATF-AHR) is however,
concerned with the national selection process of the representative to be
sitting in the AICHR.

SUARAM believes that independent, impartial, professional representative with
high integrity, recognized competence in the field of human rights, and elected
and/or appointed in a transparent, participatory and inclusive process of
consultation input from all stakeholders is necessary to ensure the
effectiveness and credibility of the AICHR (hereafter the "Commission")
to fulfill its mandate as the overarching body tasked with the promotion and
protection of human rights in ASEAN.

We therefore strongly urge Malaysia's government to nominate, select, and elect
or appoint a
member to the AICHR in accordance with the following recommendations:


Please click here to read the complete letter (pdf).

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Also related:
2 September Suaram, Letter to the Malaysia's representative for the High Level
Panel on further engagement with civil society organisations