VZCZCXRO7956
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHKL #0841/01 2960744
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 230744Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3293
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1138
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1770

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUALA LUMPUR 000841 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA SEEKS UNHRC MEMBERSHIP; REQUESTS USG 
SUPPORT 
 
¶1. (U) The Government of Malaysia has announced its candidacy 
for the UN Human Rights Council for the 2010-2013 term (see 
text of diplomatic note and GOM paper below) and is seeking 
USG support.  Department guidance requested. 
 
¶2. (U) Begin Text of October 20 GOM Diplomatic note: 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia presents its 
compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America 
and has the honour to inform that the Government of Malaysia 
has decided to present its candidature for the United Nations 
Human Rights Council for the term 2010-2013, at the election 
scheduled to be held during the 64th session of the UNGA in 
May 2010. The Ministry has further the honour to transmit 
herewith Malaysia,s Pledges and Voluntary Commitments 
related to the candidature. 
 
In presenting its candidature, Malaysia reaffirms its full 
commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights 
both at the domestic and international levels. Should 
Malaysia be elected as a member of the Council, Malaysia 
would continue to pledge its support and commitments to the 
work of the Human Rights Council as the principal United 
Nations body mandated to advance the promotion and protection 
of human rights and fundamental freedoms around the world in 
accordance with the United National General Assembly 
Resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006. 
 
The Government of Malaysia would highly appreciate the 
valuable support of the Government of the United States of 
America, for Malaysia,s candidature to the Human Rights 
Council. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia avails itself of 
this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States 
of America the assurances of its highest consideration. 
 
PUTRAJAYA 
20 October 2009 
 
End Text of Diplomatic Note 
 
¶3. (U) Begin Text of GOM Paper re UNHRC candidacy: 
 
(Title) Malaysia Pledges and Voluntary Commitments for its 
Candidacy to the Human Rights Council (2010 ) 2013) 
 
Malaysia was an inaugural and founding member of the Human 
Rights council from 2006 to 2009. In accordance with General 
Assembly Resolution 60/251, Malaysia is presenting its 
candidacy to the Human Rights Council for the period 2010 to 
2013 at the elections to be held during the 64th Session of 
the General Assembly in May 2010 in New York. 
 
Malaysia,s candidature signifies its deep commitment to 
respect and uphold the inalienable and indivisible nature of 
all human rights both at the international and domestic 
levels. To that end, Malaysia believes that its membership of 
the Human Rights Council would contribute toward enriching 
the quality of dialogue, cooperation and action aimed at 
advancing the promotion and protection of human rights for 
all peoples. 
Malaysia is party to the Convention of the Elimination of all 
Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Convention 
on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the United Nations 
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its 
Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in 
Persons, Especially Women and Children and is in the final 
stages of ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons 
with Disabilities (CRPD). Malaysia is also undertaking 
efforts to review reservations made to CEDAW and CRC. 
 
Malaysia is also party to the fundamental International 
Labour Organisation Conventions on the freedom of association 
and collective bargaining (convention no. 98), elimination of 
forced and compulsory labour (convention no. 29), elimination 
of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation 
(conventions no. 100) and abolition of child labour 
(conventions no. 138 and 182). 
 
Malaysia is actively considering acceding to the 
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural 
Rights (ICESCR), the Convention against Torture and Other 
Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 
(CAT) and the convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
Racial Discrimination (CERD). At the same time, Malaysia is 
also studying other core human rights treaties. 
 
Highlights of Malaysia,s prior involvement and contribution 
towards strengthening the international community,s capacity 
 
KUALA LUMP 00000841  002 OF 003 
 
 
for promotion and protection of human rights within the 
context of the Human Rights Council include constructive 
engagement in the institution-building process of the 
council; review, rationalization and improvement of special 
procedures mandates; operationalisation of the Universal 
Periodic Review (UPR) and other council mechanisms and 2009 
Durban Review Conference, among others. Malaysia,s deep 
commitment to the promotion and protection of all human 
rights is clearly enshrined in its Federal Constitution.  The 
constitutional guarantees for the promotion and protection of 
human rights are given effect through various legal, policy, 
administrative and institutional measures which have been 
conscientiously and consistently implemented by successive 
governments since independence in 1957. Malaysia is committed 
to the principles of good governance, democracy, and rule of 
law. 
 
As a multi-ethnic, multi religious and multicultural society, 
Malaysia is keenly aware of the need to maintain a balance in 
the promotion and protection of civil and political rights on 
one hand and economic social and cultural rights on the 
others. 
National priorities in the field of human rights following 
Malaysia,s first UPR by the Human Rights Council in February 
2009 include: 
 
- Increasing support for the roles and functioning of the 
National Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM); 
 
- Continuing efforts to raise human rights awareness among 
all segments of the population including law ) enforcement 
officials, members of the judiciary, government officials and 
other stakeholders; 
 
- Establishing a National Child Policy and a National Child 
Protection Policy as well as their respective Plans of Action; 
 
- Establishing a National Policy on Women as well as the 
National Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women; 
 
- Continuing fostering meaningful and productive engagement 
between the government machinery and civil society, and 
 
- Strengthening capacities for implementation and enforcement 
measures for human rights conventions which Malaysia is party 
to alongside reconsidering of instruments which it has yet to 
accede to. 
 
Malaysia firmly believes that the Human Rights Council has an 
important role to play in universalizing the promotion and 
protection of human rights and in ensuring their effective 
enjoyment. Towards that end, if elected as a member, Malaysia 
will strive to ensure that the Council remains a credible, 
effective and just body entrusted with the responsibility of 
promoting and protecting the human rights of all peoples. 
In addition, Malaysia pledges to: 
 
- Deepen and widen its cooperation with and support for the 
work of various United Nations actors and mechanisms involved 
in the promotion and protection of human rights such as the 
OHCHR, Special Procedures of the Human Rights council, UNHCR, 
UNDP, UNFPA, UNIFEM, INSTRAW, UNICEF and UNEP including 
through, inter-alia, voluntary contributions; 
 
- Uphold the principles of dialogue and cooperation among all 
stakeholders in furthering the promotion and protection of 
human rights for all peoples, without distinction or 
discrimination of any kind; 
 
- Further, the United Nations development agenda, 
particularly in realizing the right to development, including 
support for ongoing efforts aimed at its operationalisation 
and implementation; 
 
- Share best practices, experiences and achievements in 
economic, social and cultural rights, including advancing 
women,s and children,s rights, poverty eradication and 
education with interested partners; 
 
- Engage constructively with all its partners and 
stakeholders to ensure that the international community 
continues to create a supportive external environment towards 
the creation of economic stability, shared prosperity and 
equitable gains from globalization; 
 
- Continuously engage with all its partners and stakeholders 
to assess and monitor the implementation of recommendations 
from the UPR process, and 
 
- Continue working at the regional level with its partners 
 
KUALA LUMP 00000841  003 OF 003 
 
 
under the ASEAN framework, in particular, with the newly 
established ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human 
Rights (AICHR) in the promotion of human rights in the region. 
 
End Text of GOM Paper 
KEITH