Malaysia Stands In Strong Position To Ratify UNCAT

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia stands in a strong position to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) and be its 176th member country.

Abdel Wahab Hani, Board Member of the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), said this is based on the country’s strong institutions and judiciary system.

“This is also based on its strong and vibrant society and enforcement agency,” he said in a discussion titled 'Advancing Malaysia’s Accession to the UNCAT' on Bernama TV, here.

Abdel Wahab, who was a former member of the UN Committee Against Torture, said the ratification will ensure the protection for all Malaysians against any kind of ill treatment and discrimination, physically or psychologically, in line with international practice.

“This is also to protect human dignity and fundamental rights,” he said.

Echoing the sentiment, Laura Blanco, Legal Advisor to the Convention against Torture Initiative (CTI) said the time is right for Malaysia to accede to the convention as it is already a member of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“Accession to the UNCAT will enhance protection for all vulnerable groups,” Blanco said on the same platform.

She said Malaysia’s commitment to measures on anti-corruption, peace, and justice, in line with its agenda on sustainable development, also contributes to the UNCAT goals.

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) had recently urged the government to ratify the UNCAT as ASEAN Chair to demonstrate its regional leadership and bolster the country’s international standing.

Its chairman, Hishamudin Yunus, said that currently, 175 countries have ratified UNCAT. Malaysia and fellow ASEAN nations Brunei and Singapore have not done so.
-- BERNAMA