PM Anwar calls for ban on UNSC veto power in mass atrocities cases, wants global justice reform Posted on 03/12/2024 KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — United Nations Security Council (UNSC) veto power should be banned in cases of mass atrocities until it can be abolished, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said the UNSC decision-making processes require broader support from both permanent and non-permanent members and be subject to ratification by the General Assembly through a simple majority. Anwar said the veto power has paralysed the council, while the lack of representation from regions such as Africa and Latin America reflects a bygone era. “Instead of being a vehicle for action, the Security Council has too often become an instrument of deadlock. “We see the consequences in places like Gaza, in the persecution of the Rohingya, and in the war in Ukraine,” he said in his keynote address at the Common Action Forum (CAF) 2024, here today. The Prime Minister said the world stands at a critical juncture for global justice, emphasising that Israel’s actions against Palestinians undermine the very foundations of the global order. “… war crimes, collective punishment, and genocide are a blatant affront to the norms of international law and fundamental human rights,” he said. As Malaysia has advocated at the UN, Anwar said the world must take bold, immediate steps, starting with an arms embargo on Israel. However, he said the severity of Israel’s actions warrants more including a global consensus towards suspending or even expelling Israel from the UN. The UNSC reform is one of the key areas proposed by Anwar that urgently needs to be reformed for a more equitable world. Other areas are the international financial architecture, international trading system, climate finance and climate justice. At the UNSC Debate in New York in September, Malaysia made a strong appeal to limit the use of veto power in the UNSC, stressing that the unchecked use of veto has obstructed peace efforts, particularly in the case of Palestine. — Bernama News
Defence minister: Comprehensive research backs National Service 3.0 programme’s reintroduction, to foster patriotism, unity among youth Posted on 07/12/2024 KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that the government and the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) have carried out comprehensive quantitative and qualitative studies on the implementation of the revamped National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0. He said various academic studies, alongside youth engagement… Read More
Korean woman declares herself a feminist after assault Posted on 18/11/2024 On Ji-goo (left), who used her pen name and declined to reveal her face for security reasons, and Jung Yun-jung (right), an activist who supported On throughout her trials. (AFP pic) JINJU: Aspiring South Korean writer On Ji-goo never considered herself a feminist but changed her mind after being physically… Read More
Taipei closes probe into exploding pagers in Lebanon Posted on 11/11/2024 Gold Apollo’s president and founder Hsu Ching-kuang was questioned by Taipei prosecutors. (AP pic) TAIPEI: Taiwan today said it had closed a probe into pagers that exploded in Lebanon in September and caused a deadly blow to Iran-backed Hezbollah, saying no Taiwanese citizens or companies were involved. Israeli media reported… Read More