MALAYSIA LEADS PUSH FOR ASEAN DECLARATION ON PEACE, DEVELOPMENT, AND SUSTAINABILITY

KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is spearheading efforts for ASEAN to adopt a landmark declaration affirming the right to peace, development, and sustainability, aiming to strengthen human rights and build an inclusive and resilient ASEAN community.

Chair of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and Malaysia’s Representative to AICHR, Edmund Bon Tai Soon, said the proposed "ASEAN Declaration Promoting Peace, Inclusive Growth, Sustainable Development and the Right to Development" is expected to be tabled during the ASEAN Summit in May, alongside the adoption of ASEAN Vision 2045.

“Our focus is to link peace, development, and sustainability as interconnected rights. 

“Growth must not be for its own sake but must include all people and ensure lasting peace. Malaysia is pushing for this declaration to guide ASEAN’s future actions," he said at a press conference on Tuesday, after the opening of the 2nd AICHR Consultation on the Human Right to Development.

When asked about ASEAN’s principle of non-interference, particularly in sensitive situations such as Myanmar, Bon emphasised that humanitarian assistance must transcend political barriers.

He cited Malaysia’s deployment of medical teams to Sagaing in Myanmar following the recent earthquake, highlighting that assistance was provided after securing safety assurances from parties on the ground.

“This is not about interference but about humanitarian solidarity. Malaysia’s position is clear: we uphold the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus and continue to advocate for peace and humanitarian access. Safe, secure conditions for aid workers must be guaranteed,” he said.

Meanwhile, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Professor Dr Surya Deva, has lauded Malaysia, the ASEAN Chair for 2025, for its efforts in driving a rights-based development agenda across the region — a move that could set a global example.

“We must not view the right to development merely in terms of economic growth or rising GDP. Rather, we should aim to create a dignified life for each and every person, without sacrificing environmental sustainability or exacerbating inequality,” he said.

Surya stressed that achieving inclusive and sustainable development requires broad-based engagement from society.

“If we truly want to achieve inclusive and sustainable development, it requires the participation of people, active, free, and meaningful participation in the decision-making process,” he added.

For the first time since its establishment, AICHR Malaysia has invited civil society and stakeholders to contribute to the development of its next five-year work plan (2026–2030).

Malaysia is proposing that ASEAN align its human rights and development agenda with the broader ASEAN Vision 2045, setting strategic goals that prioritise peace, inclusivity, sustainability, and resilience across the region.

The two-day 2nd AICHR Consultation brings together stakeholders from ASEAN’s three community pillars to provide early input on the draft declaration and explore strategies to integrate human rights into ASEAN’s development frameworks.

Malaysia’s initiative aligns with AICHR’s Terms of Reference, including enhancing human rights awareness, engaging with stakeholders, and developing collective ASEAN positions on human rights.

-- BERNAMA