United Nations celebrates 67th anniversary
KUALA
LUMPUR, 24 October 2012 – The Malaysian Bar was today conferred with
the United Nations (UN) Malaysia Award, during ceremonies marking the
UN’s 67th anniversary.
The
UN Malaysia Award was presented in recognition of the Malaysian Bar’s
many years of invaluable, courageous and creative work in advancing the
cause of democracy and human rights in Malaysia.
“This
tribute is fitting, given the significant and long-standing
contribution by the Malaysian Bar to an environment that promotes the
protection and effective fulfillment of democracy and human rights, key
values embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said
Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator.
The
UN Malaysia Award has been accorded on the anniversary of the United
Nations, (UN Day as it has come to be known) since 1998, in recognition
of the outstanding contributions of individuals or organisations toward
the promotion of human rights, social justice and equality in the
country. The focus of this year’s UN Malaysia Award is on democracy and
development.
“The
UN Malaysia Award this year recognises that an environment with genuine
and independent democratic institutions and practices is essential for
fostering long-term security and stability,” said Malhotra. “Such
institutions and practices foster and allow for peaceful political
dialogue; they create a conducive and legitimate environment for good
governance, development, and for meeting basic human needs; and for the
promotion and protection of human rights.”
“Democracy
has emerged as a cross-cutting issue in the outcome of the major UN
conferences and summits since the 1990s, and in internationally-agreed
development goals produced by its member States, including the
Millennium Development Goals.
As
UN Secretary General BAN Ki-moon indicated in his public lecture in
Kuala Lumpur when he visited Malaysia in March this year, it is also one
of the top five priorities for his second term, which began in January
2012,” said Malhotra.
Malhotra
added that in November 2007, the UN Secretary-General initiated the
development of a strategy for supporting democracy, emphasizing that
democracy is inextricably linked to the three pillars of the work of the
United Nations – peace and security, development, and human rights.
In
presenting the UN Malaysia Award to the Malaysian Bar, the UN in
Malaysia acknowledges the contribution of the Bar in advancing democracy
in Malaysia, particularly through its 66-year commitment to guarding
the rule of law, defending human rights and public interest, and
speaking out against abuse of power by those in authority.
Past
recipients of the UN Malaysia Award include individuals, such as; Tan
Sri Razali Ismail, Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, and Datuk Dr. Raj Abdul
Karim, and organisations, such as; Ward 54 of Hospital Sungai Buloh,
the Malaysian Armed Forces and the Royal Malaysian Police, and the
Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC).
The
67th Anniversary of the United Nations was launched by the Deputy
Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Senator A. Kohilan Pillay.
At
the same event, the late Professor Khoo Kay Jin, renowned Malaysian
intellectual and social scientist, was posthumously recognised for his
years of outstanding service and tireless contributions in the areas of
poverty eradication, democratisation and development in Malaysia. Among
his many distinguished roles, Professor Khoo was also the lead author of
the UN-Government of Malaysia report on the Millennium Development
Goals at 2010, and had worked on a joint UNDP and Economic Planning Unit
initiative to identify strategies to eradicate poverty and improve
employment and equity restructuring in Sabah and Sarawak.
UN
day is celebrated in 189 countries around the world to mark the
founding of the organization on the principles of justice, peace,
equality and human rights as ratified in its Charter on 24 October 1945.
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