By Irwan Shafrizan Ismail | New Straits Times
The Foreign Ministry has shortlisted seven candidates for the position of Malaysia’s Representative to ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) for the 2019-2021 session.
Its minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said the seven were Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria; Edmund Bon Tai Soon; Eric Paulsen; Datuk Dr Fauziah Mohd Taib; James Deva Nayagam; Raja Nor Azwa Raja Alang Petra and Dr Rohaida Nordin.
He said these seven candidates would be interviewed in the first week of December by an independent Selection Committee headed by the ministry’s ASEAN-Malaysia National Secretariat director-general Datuk Ahmad Rozian Abd Ghani.
Other members in the independent selection committee are Ledang Member of Parliament Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh and Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) commissioner Jerald Joseph.
“We have shortlisted to seven who are of various backgrounds, There are lawyers, academicians, activists and they are linked to human rights activities.
“We will post their names on the ministry’s website and allow the public to give their comments and views on the candidates which can be done at [email protected], from today to Nov 30.
“This is a new method that we have adopted to have a selection process to choose the representative to the AICHR, which is in line with the government’s manifesto for a clear, transparent, merit-based and participatory selection and appointment process,” he told reporters after the launch of the ministry’s Integrity Day 2018 today.
Malaysia’s AICHR representative was previously Tan Sri Dr Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and currently is Edmund Bon Tai Soon.
The chosen candidate would need to attend AICHR meetings and carry out other duties, including developing strategies to promote and protect human rights as well basic rights in an effort to complete the ASEAN Community formation.
On the level of integrity among Wisma Putra staff, Saifuddin said in general they were at the best level and free from corruption, and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had categorised the Foreign Ministry as low-risk or in other words free from corruption.
“We have not heard of any Wisma Putra officer being linked to corruption. As the minister of this ministry, I am satisfied with the integrity level showed (by the staff),” he added.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/11/433972/7-names-shortlisted-represent-malaysia-aichr
