MALAYSIA HAS AMONG THE HIGHEST HUMAN RIGHTS AWARENESS

By D. Arul Rajoo

HUA HIN, Oct 23 (Bernama) -- In terms of human rights, Malaysia has one of
the highest levels of awareness among the 10 Asean countries, said Muhammad
Shafee Abdullah, Malaysia's representative to the Asean Intergovernmental
Commission on Human Rights (Aichr).

He said Malaysia had its Human Rights Act and Human Rights Commission
(Suhakam) since 1999.

"We are much more advanced than many other Asean countries...but there is
always room for improvement," the Suhakam Commissioner told the media after the
launch of the Aichr at the 15th Asean Summit here Friday.

Asean chairman and Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his
counterparts Bouasone Bouphavanh (Brunei), General Thein Sein (Myanmar), Lee
Hsien Loong (Singapore) and Nguyen Tan Dung (Vietnam) were present at the
launch. Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who arrived here Thursday, skipped
the Summit opening ceremony and the Aichr launch, while leaders from Cambodia,
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have yet to arrive due to domestic
commitments.

Shafee said that the 10 commissioners, who are due to meet here Saturday for
their first meeting, could still revise the Terms of Reference (TOR) agreed upon
by the Foreign Ministers last July.

"The TOR was formulated after a lot of discussion and compromise, but it's
not binding. We cannot expect our human rights standard to be on par with the
European Union as we have different values...but I am confident we can progress
over time," he said.

Abhisit said establishment of Aichr was another important milestone in
Asean's dynamic regionalism.

"Ultimately, it is about the commitment of Member States to enhancing the
quality of the life of Asean peoples, empowering and engaging them in Asean's
community building process, all of which form the fundamental basis of a
genuine community for peoples," he said.

The Leaders also pledged to provide a start-up fund of US$200,000 to support
activities of the Aichr during its first year of operation, which will be topped
up later by annual contribution from member states, as well as contribution from
external sources.

The commissioners, who will serve for a three-year term, comprises Shafee,
Dr Sriprapha Petcharamesree (Thailand), Om Yentieng (Cambodia), Rafendi Djamin
(Indonesia), Bounkeut Sangsomsak (Laos), Haji Awang Abdul Hamid Bakal (Brunei),
Kyaw Tint Swe (Myanmar), Rosario G. Manalo (the Philippines), Richard Magnus
(Singapore) and Do Ngoc Son (Vietnam).

-- BERNAMA