Edmund Bon

ARCHIVES

Southeast Asian activists urge ASEAN help to rescue scam trafficking victims from Chinese gangs

Team ABA February 17, 2023

South China Morning Post | Scams reel people in with promises of high-paying jobs overseas which are online cons, targeting victims with fake investment opportunities or romance. Campaigners in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia lodged a complaint with the AICHR, “as no nation can solve the issue alone”. However, Edmund Bon explained that the Commission does not have the powers to enforce compliance.

The spiral model, scope conditions, and contestation in the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights

Alan Collins and Edmund Bon January 20, 2023

The authors utilise the mechanisms and scope conditions in the revised Spiral Model to assess the opportunities and challenges that aid and frustrate the AICHR Representatives’ attempts to fulfil AICHR’s mandate to promote and protect human rights. The authors identify reasons for cautious optimism that some Representatives are making headway in making AICHR fit-for-purpose.

Environment and labor: A guide to respecting human rights

Team ABA December 13, 2022

Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom | “I spoke to clients, including operations managers and sustainability officers. Many of them felt that they wanted to comply with business and human rights commitments, but did not know how to,” said Edmund Bon. In 2020, he had the idea to put together a “GuideKit for SMEs on Human Rights Compliance” and asked experts to contribute.

Need to enhance access to climate litigation

Team ABA December 9, 2022

RWI has organised the Blended Learning Course on Human Rights and the Environment/Climate Change (BLC) for the past three years. AmerBON hosted the Malaysian workshop this year, in collaboration with the Malaysian Judiciary and SUHAKAM.

Social: Helping SMEs uphold human rights

Team ABA October 20, 2022

The Edge Markets | SMEs, the backbone of supply chains, are at risk of losing out if they don’t change their business approach with respect to the environment and labour. Edmund Bon and other human rights experts sought to translate the corporate responsibility to protect human rights and the environment into tangible and simple tools for SMEs.

Sessions Court judge misdirected himself in convicting Repco’s Low of market manipulation, defence says

Team ABA October 14, 2022

The Edge Markets | Counsel Edmund Bon, representing former Repco Holdings Bhd Chairman Low Thiam Hock, said the defence witnesses had described averaging-in of Repco shares, not market manipulation as alleged by the prosecution, and there was no rebuttal by the prosecution. Yet the judge did not address this in his judgment. Edmund appeared with Joshua Tay, New Sin Yew, and Chan Yen Hui.

NGOs, PKR leaders fail again to raise questions on Emergency

Team ABA October 12, 2022

Free Malaysia Today | A three-member Court of Appeal bench said the High Court did not commit any appealable error to warrant an intervention, but ordered no costs as the issue was of public interest. The bench also dismissed a preliminary objection by federal counsel that any decision on constitutional reference applications before a High Court was not appealable. Edmund Bon represented the NGOs.

ASEAN and the Rohingya crisis since 2017

Team ABA September 14, 2022

APR2P Centre | Edmund Bon and Emily Wana prepared a report for the APR2P Centre on the ASEAN response to the Rohingya crisis since 2017, including its internal dynamics, challenges, and constraints. The report also considered the impact of the Myanmar coup on ASEAN diplomacy and proposed several recommendations for ASEAN moving forward.

Business and Human Rights in Southeast Asia: A Practitioner’s GuideKit

Team ABA August 31, 2022

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Southeast and East Asia | FNF and AmerBON published a GuideKit for small and medium enterprises, dealing with issues ranging from due diligence and internal assessment, to environmental risks and fair recruitment. The book contains essential and practical tools that SMEs can use to meet their BHR obligations under the UN Guiding Principles.

The opaque Malaysian pardon system

Team ABA August 26, 2022

BFM | Around 100,000 people have signed an online petition requesting that former PM Najib Razak’s petition for pardon be rejected, while a group of UMNO supporters submitted a memorandum seeking a royal pardon. Edmund Bon explained what the process entails, the difference between a conditional and a free pardon, and flaws in the system such as the absence of a right of the prisoner to be heard.

Following Najib’s sentence, Edmund Bon wants pardons system reformed

Team ABA August 24, 2022

Malaysiakini | Human rights lawyer Edmund Bon called for the pardons system for convicted prisoners to be reformed, drawing attention to the thousands of prisoners waiting for their pardons to be heard and re-heard. The Pardons Board comprises the AG, the federal territories minister, and three other members appointed by the YDPA, who presides over the board.

Analysis: Abolishment of mandatory death penalty signals nuanced take on drug problems

Team ABA June 17, 2022

Astro Awani | Malaysia announced on June 10 that it will abolish the mandatory death sentence for drug offences and murder among others, and leave the sentencing to the judge. Human rights lawyer Edmund Bon noted, if the abolishment of the mandatory death penalty has no impact on crime rates, the argument that it has not deterred crime is justified.

Southeast Asian activists urge ASEAN help to rescue scam trafficking victims from Chinese gangs

February 17, 2023

South China Morning Post | Scams reel people in with promises of high-paying jobs overseas which are online cons, targeting victims with fake investment opportunities or romance. Campaigners in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia lodged a complaint with the AICHR, “as no nation can solve the issue alone”. However, Edmund Bon explained that the Commission does not have the powers to enforce compliance.

The spiral model, scope conditions, and contestation in the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights

January 20, 2023

The authors utilise the mechanisms and scope conditions in the revised Spiral Model to assess the opportunities and challenges that aid and frustrate the AICHR Representatives’ attempts to fulfil AICHR’s mandate to promote and protect human rights. The authors identify reasons for cautious optimism that some Representatives are making headway in making AICHR fit-for-purpose.

Environment and labor: A guide to respecting human rights

December 13, 2022

Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom | “I spoke to clients, including operations managers and sustainability officers. Many of them felt that they wanted to comply with business and human rights commitments, but did not know how to,” said Edmund Bon. In 2020, he had the idea to put together a “GuideKit for SMEs on Human Rights Compliance” and asked experts to contribute.

Need to enhance access to climate litigation

December 9, 2022

RWI has organised the Blended Learning Course on Human Rights and the Environment/Climate Change (BLC) for the past three years. AmerBON hosted the Malaysian workshop this year, in collaboration with the Malaysian Judiciary and SUHAKAM.

Social: Helping SMEs uphold human rights

October 20, 2022

The Edge Markets | SMEs, the backbone of supply chains, are at risk of losing out if they don’t change their business approach with respect to the environment and labour. Edmund Bon and other human rights experts sought to translate the corporate responsibility to protect human rights and the environment into tangible and simple tools for SMEs.

Sessions Court judge misdirected himself in convicting Repco’s Low of market manipulation, defence says

October 14, 2022

The Edge Markets | Counsel Edmund Bon, representing former Repco Holdings Bhd Chairman Low Thiam Hock, said the defence witnesses had described averaging-in of Repco shares, not market manipulation as alleged by the prosecution, and there was no rebuttal by the prosecution. Yet the judge did not address this in his judgment. Edmund appeared with Joshua Tay, New Sin Yew, and Chan Yen Hui.

NGOs, PKR leaders fail again to raise questions on Emergency

October 12, 2022

Free Malaysia Today | A three-member Court of Appeal bench said the High Court did not commit any appealable error to warrant an intervention, but ordered no costs as the issue was of public interest. The bench also dismissed a preliminary objection by federal counsel that any decision on constitutional reference applications before a High Court was not appealable. Edmund Bon represented the NGOs.

ASEAN and the Rohingya crisis since 2017

September 14, 2022

APR2P Centre | Edmund Bon and Emily Wana prepared a report for the APR2P Centre on the ASEAN response to the Rohingya crisis since 2017, including its internal dynamics, challenges, and constraints. The report also considered the impact of the Myanmar coup on ASEAN diplomacy and proposed several recommendations for ASEAN moving forward.

Business and Human Rights in Southeast Asia: A Practitioner’s GuideKit

August 31, 2022

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Southeast and East Asia | FNF and AmerBON published a GuideKit for small and medium enterprises, dealing with issues ranging from due diligence and internal assessment, to environmental risks and fair recruitment. The book contains essential and practical tools that SMEs can use to meet their BHR obligations under the UN Guiding Principles.

The opaque Malaysian pardon system

August 26, 2022

BFM | Around 100,000 people have signed an online petition requesting that former PM Najib Razak’s petition for pardon be rejected, while a group of UMNO supporters submitted a memorandum seeking a royal pardon. Edmund Bon explained what the process entails, the difference between a conditional and a free pardon, and flaws in the system such as the absence of a right of the prisoner to be heard.

Following Najib’s sentence, Edmund Bon wants pardons system reformed

August 24, 2022

Malaysiakini | Human rights lawyer Edmund Bon called for the pardons system for convicted prisoners to be reformed, drawing attention to the thousands of prisoners waiting for their pardons to be heard and re-heard. The Pardons Board comprises the AG, the federal territories minister, and three other members appointed by the YDPA, who presides over the board.

Analysis: Abolishment of mandatory death penalty signals nuanced take on drug problems

June 17, 2022

Astro Awani | Malaysia announced on June 10 that it will abolish the mandatory death sentence for drug offences and murder among others, and leave the sentencing to the judge. Human rights lawyer Edmund Bon noted, if the abolishment of the mandatory death penalty has no impact on crime rates, the argument that it has not deterred crime is justified.