Team ABA

Cambodianess | The Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) urged regional and international communities to jointly conduct an independent and fair investigation into the recent incident during which Thai soldiers opened fire on Cambodian civilians in a disputed border area. Its representative said an independent probe would contribute to achieving justice and compensation for victims.

IISD | ASEAN’s environmental declaration authorises AICHR to develop a Regional Plan of Action on environmental rights. Whether that becomes a turning point, or another soft commitment, depends on how AICHR interprets and operationalises this mandate.

Greenpeace Malaysia | Greenpeace Southeast Asia emphasised that the focus must now move to ensuring the effective implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment. ASEAN Member States must take steps to translate its principles into enforceable national laws and regional mechanisms.

Malaysian Reserve | The recently adopted ASEAN declaration on the environment should serve as a guiding framework for governments, including Malaysia, to harmonise national policies and legislation in line with its principles, said Former Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Business Today | Following the adoption of the non-binding ASEAN Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment, Greenpeace Southeast Asia called for its urgent implementation through a Regional Plan of Action to provide tangible, rights-based protections for communities and environmental defenders.

星洲网｜天然资源及环境永续部前部长聂纳兹米认为，政府在制定时，必须摆脱“凡事以业界利益为先”的旧有思维，回归部门职责核心，把环境保护置于优先位置。

Free Malaysia Today | Former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has urged the government to align the upcoming climate action bill with the ASEAN Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment adopted at the 47th ASEAN Summit last month.

AICHR | The AICHR consultation called for empathy-driven approaches that address underlying human challenges rather than merely restricting technology use. Continuous education and training for parents, teachers, and stakeholders were identified as essential to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to support children’s well-being in an increasingly digital world.

The Star | Environmental and human rights groups say the recent adoption of the environmental declaration is an important milestone for ASEAN. However, they are concerned by key issues that remain insufficiently unaddressed in the declaration, such as protection for environmental defenders, indigenous peoples’ rights, and concrete measures to combat environmental harm and climate crises.

Fokus Bernama | AICHR Chair Edmund Bon said that although the recently adopted ASEAN declaration on the environment is not law, it is “soft law” and can be used in judgements when dealing with trans-boundary environmental issues. Member states, civil societies and communities can also use the declaration as a framework for advocacy and implementation at the national level.