At the interface between ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) representatives at Vientiene, Laos, on 24 July 2024, this was what the Foreign Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Hasan, delivered:


Your Excellencies Foreign Ministers, 

Your Excellencies AICHR Chair and Representatives,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1.    I would like to thank the Chair of AICHR 2024, His Excellency Yong Chanthalangsy, for the update on the work of AICHR over the past year.  

2.    AICHR has made significant progress in fulfilling its role as the overarching body responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights within the Southeast Asian region. I commend AICHR for the work done in the important areas as enumerated by the AICHR Chair earlier.

3.    Moving forward, I wish to highlight some key priorities for AICHR’s agenda:

3.1    One, as the current AICHR workplan comes to its end, Malaysia calls for the development of a progressive and robust AICHR Five-Year Workplan for 2026 to 2030. The workplan should aim to further expand and enhance AICHR’s efforts in promoting and protecting human rights in the region.

3.2    Secondly, we must make every effort to ensure that AICHR lives up to its mandate, ensures its relevance, and enhances its role. AICHR needs to strengthen its internal processes and mechanism as an institution in order that it does not lose credibility and respectability among human rights commissions of the world. We must expedite the long-overdue implementation of the decision made by ASEAN in 2019 to undertake a review of AICHR’s Terms of Reference (TOR). 

3.3    Third, ASEAN should continue with the annual ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue to address critical issues amid global challenges. In a divided and polarised world, upholding international law and the rules-based order is crucial. 

3.4    Fourth, AICHR’s voice must also be heard in addressing human rights concerns in crises areas, such as, Myanmar and Palestine. On Myanmar, AICHR has an important role to play to urge the Myanmar military authorities to protect human rights and to return to democracy, in line with the wishes of the people of Myanmar. 

3.5    Lastly, AICHR should work towards finalising the Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment, which is in line with and expands on Article 28(f) of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD).

4.    In conclusion, Chairman, I wish the AICHR Representatives all the best in their future endeavours towards fulfilling the mandate of AICHR.