Blawg

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.

A noticeable shift is occurring in the assessment of corporate responsibility towards human rights, from voluntary initiatives and market-driven standards towards stricter regulatory requirements, including the growing utilisation of trade sanctions. With the abundance of available approaches, where should businesses even begin? Join us on 12 June 2024 (Wednesday), 4.30pm in Bangkok to find out more.

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.

Acting in civil litigation, corporate litigation, fraud, and human rights matters, a reviewer commented that Edmund is “shrewd, innovative, and knows the law well.”

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.

Findings from recent research confirmed that refugees in Malaysia have been harassed by the authorities and subjected to demands for bribes. The inhumane treatment of refugees is unacceptable. If we are to progress as a nation, we cannot continue to be a society that allows the most vulnerable among us to be bullied.