Edmund Bon

Hak untuk pembangunan ekonomi, sosial, budaya, dan politik menuntut agar hak asasi manusia menjadi teras utama dalam mencapai keterangkuman dan kelestarian. Rakyat ASEAN berhak menerima tidak kurang daripada itu.

The right to economic, social, cultural and political development demands that human rights be at the front and centre of inclusivity and sustainability. The ASEAN people deserve no less.

While ESG is important, most of its measures are not couched in rights. Rights give rise to justiciable claims and empower victims and survivors to go to the courts. We need to take legal, policy, and administrative measures to incorporate human rights into our governance and laws. Human rights and environmental due diligence must be mandatory to protect vulnerable communities.

Edmund extended his appreciation to the team of experts and everyone who contributed to the drafting of the National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights in Malaysia. The report presented important recommendations: to mainstream human rights, to make human rights and environmental due diligence mandatory, and to better protect marginalised communities.

Speaking on geopolitical and geoeconomic megatrends in ASEAN, Edmund Bon cautioned that, while the economic “decoupling” between the West and China may offer opportunities to ASEAN, human rights including labour rights, environmental rights, right to information, and right to self-determination need to be at the forefront of economic development in the region. Only then can we say we have achieved an ASEAN Centrality that can adequately safeguard our peoples.

At the 39th AICHR meeting in Jakarta on 21 May 2024, Edmund Bon outlined three key developments in Malaysia on refugee rights, the death penalty, and business and human rights.

While the AHRD has provided a platform for dialogue on human rights and has facilitated certain engagement initiatives, its limitations underscore ASEAN’s ongoing challenges in prioritising human rights. These shortcomings raise significant questions about the AHRD’s relevance and its overall impact within the ASEAN region.

Legislating for mandatory due diligence on human rights, labour, environmental, and governance matters is the right thing to do.

Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been slow. Growing income inequality, conflicts, and climate change pose significant challenges. One report says the SDGs can only be achieved in 2092. In this context, corporate accountability becomes crucial. The third pillar of the UNCPs — access to remedy — must be at the front and centre of our work on sustainability.