Allow me at the outset to
congratulate Mr. Deiss on his election as the President
of the Assembly at its sixty-fifth session. I am
confident that under his very able and astute
leadership, the sixty-fifth session will be able to
complete its proceedings successfully. Let me assure
him of Malaysia’s full support for his presidency.
Let me reaffirm Malaysia’s unwavering and
continuing support for the United Nations and the
multilateral principles, based on international law, that
it embodies. Let me also reiterate Malaysia’s
commitment to doing our part in our collective
endeavour. We do so in the strong belief that all
nations, no matter how large or small, rich or poor,
strong or weak, have a common responsibility towards
creating a better world for tomorrow.
It is my firm belief that in order to create a better
world for our future generations, we need to take into
account today’s realities and learn from the lessons of
yesterday.
Among the most important challenges
confronting the international community today that
need to be addressed collectively is that of ensuring a
just, equitable and durable peace — peace not just
during our time, but peace for all times. It is imperative
that we achieve peace based on a covenant of the
willing, and not one enforced by way of hegemony
through fear and coercion. Such peace can be achieved
only if we are willing to constructively engage with
each other through dialogue. Such discussions would
help in creating a deeper understanding as well as
appreciation of and respect for each other in our
determination to create a better future for all citizens of
the world.
As a trade organization, the World Trade
Organization remains relevant in today’s economic
climate. Malaysia believes that the Doha Round must
return to its original objective of ensuring free, fair and
equitable trade. Let us join efforts and focus on moving
the process forward and building on the progress and
achievements to date. It is urgent that we conclude this
matter as soon as possible.
Since the adoption of the Millennium
Development Goals a decade ago, which galvanized
the world into collective action, there has been a lack
of efforts on joint endeavours towards the betterment
of humanity. The missed opportunity at last year’s
climate change meeting in Copenhagen is a wake-up
call for all of us. We need to bridge the gaps in
resolving and addressing the issue of climate change,
which affects the lives and livelihoods of the peoples
of the world and our future generations.
On 7 June 2010, the Malaysian Parliament
unanimously passed a resolution condemning the brutal
Israeli attack on the humanitarian convoy in
international waters. That resolution was based on
humanitarian grounds and demanded that the
Palestinians be given their basic rights, and that was
why the members of the Parliament, regardless of their
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political alignment, stood together in full support of it.
We reaffirm today our solidarity and sympathy with the
people of Turkey and the families of the victims for
their tragic loss.
Malaysia understood the necessity of letting the
multilateral system work. We were happy to see the
establishment of the United Nations panel of inquiry
and the international fact-finding mission of the
Human Rights Council. We are pleased with the
findings of the fact-finding mission, whose report
(A/HRC/15/21) has found that the conduct of the
Israeli military and other personnel towards the flotilla
passengers was not only disproportionate but also
demonstrated levels of totally unnecessary and
incredible violence. That inhuman attack constituted a
grave violation of human rights law and international
humanitarian law. The Malaysian Parliament feels
vindicated by those findings.
We are now waiting for the panel of inquiry to
complete its work. We want to see the perpetrators of
the attacks brought to justice and adequate
compensation provided to the innocent victims of the
attacks. We want the United Nations to act justly and
decisively, without fear or favour, in a manner that
would ensure that transgressions of blatant
international laws are dealt with and that justice is
done and seen to be done.
On the Middle East peace process, Malaysia is
encouraged by the recent developments, especially the
active role by the Obama Administration and the
Quartet in seeking a comprehensive and lasting
solution, a solution not only to the problem between
Palestine and Israel, but also in the wider region. We
welcome the recent initiative by the United States to
host direct peace talks between Palestine and Israel.
We also call on all parties to support, and not to be
distracted from, these efforts to achieve the aspiration
of creating two sovereign States, living side by side in
peace, within secure and recognized borders. For this
to happen, the following prerequisites should be
addressed.
First, Israel must heed the high expectations of
the international community to end this long-standing
conflict. We call on the United States and other
members of the Quartet to persuade Israel to end the
construction of new settlements in the West Bank and
Jerusalem.
Secondly, reconciliation efforts must bear fruit.
The achievement of political unity among the
Palestinians is vital in moving the peace process
forward and in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Thirdly, both parties must eschew violence and
ensure the protection of civilians and respect for
international humanitarian and human rights law.
While harnessing our efforts to promote
international peace and harmony, we are concerned
about the growing trend in some parts of the world to
perpetuate or even fuel Islamophobia. Attempts to
demonize Islam offend the one and a half billion
adherents of the religion. It widens the divide between
the Muslim world and the West.
The real issue is not between Muslims and
non-Muslims, but between the moderates and the
extremists of all religions, be it Islam, Christianity or
Judaism. In all religions, we have inadvertently
allowed the ugly voices of the periphery to drown out
the many voices of reason and common sense. I
therefore urge us to embark on building a global
movement of moderates from all faiths, moderates
committed to working together to combat and
marginalize the extremists who have held the world
hostage with their bigotry and bias. We must — I
repeat, must — urgently reclaim the centre and the
moral high ground that has been usurped from us. We
must choose moderation over extremism. We must
choose negotiation over confrontation. We must choose
to work together and not against each other, and we
must give this effort top priority, for time is not on our
side.
In this regard, we are heartened to note that a
group of American evangelical Christians worked
tirelessly to prevent the threatened burning of the
Koran, with the compelling argument that it is in fact
un-Christian to burn the Koran. This is a clear example
of what can be achieved when moderates in each faith
stand up to the extremists who are trying to hijack the
universal values of our religions.
We commend President Obama and Mayor
Bloomberg for rising to the challenge by affirming the
rights of supporters of the Cordoba House to be located
near the site of the World Trade Center. This project
will include a mosque and a multi-faith community
centre open to all. We support the objectives of the
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Cordoba Initiative, an organization that focuses on
promoting peace, understanding and moderation, both
between Muslims and non-Muslims and within the
Muslim community.
All countries should encourage and support
initiatives that promote mutual respect and peaceful
coexistence and reject the extremists who divide us all
with issues that have in the past brought about untold
misery and hatred.
Allow me to share my own country’s experience
in managing issues of diversity. Malaysia is a
multiracial, multi-religious, multicultural and
democratic society that has benefited from positive
interaction and synergy between the various
communities. Mosques, temples, churches and other
places of worship coexist in harmony. Although Islam
is the official religion, we honour other religions —
Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism — by making
their religious and cultural celebrations national
holidays and celebrating them as national events. It is
this equilibrium that leads to moderation or what is
called wasatiyyah in the Islamic tradition of mutual
justice.
Malaysia stands at the geographical crossroads of
the major civilizations and religions of the world. We
are therefore well poised to play our part in promoting
religious understanding, harmony and tolerance. To
further strengthen our process of national unity, I have
introduced a philosophy known as One Malaysia. One
Malaysia is a vision that seeks renewal and
rejuvenation to bring all our people together in a just
and harmonious relationship. One Malaysia calls for
the acceptance of diversity as a source of greater unity.
We seek to celebrate our multiethnic and
multi-religious society for strategic strength and
harmony.
It is time for the moderates in all countries and in
all religions to take back the centre, to reclaim the
agenda for peace and pragmatism and to marginalize
the extremists. This global movement of the moderates
will save us from sinking into the abyss of despair and
depravation. This is an opportunity for us to provide
much-needed leadership, to bring hope and to restore
dignity for all. With greater will and collective
determination, we will build a more peaceful, secure
and equitable world.