Malaysia strongly believes the United Nations, which celebrates its 73rd anniversary today (UN Day), remains the best platform to pursue international cooperation and address problems of the global commons, based on the principles of mutual respect and international law.

Foreign Ministry deputy secretary-general (Multilateral Affairs) Kennedy Jawan said on this day, Malaysia looked forward to working together with the wider UN members and the secretariat in carrying out its obligations, as enshrined in the UN Charter.

"Malaysia will continue with its effort and commitment in exploring for conflict resolutions in Palestine and in addressing the Rohingya refugee crisis.

"Malaysia will also continue to compete for strategic positions in international bodies by placing its candidatures in bodies such as the UN Security Council (2036-2037), International Maritime Organisation (2020-2021), Unesco (2019-2023) and other international bodies," Jawan told Bernama in an email interview in conjunction with the 2018 UN Day celebration.

The UN Day marks the day in which the UN Charter came into force, on Oct 24, 1945.

Jawan said Malaysia was also committed to active and constructive participation in negotiations on the UN Security Council (UNSC) reform, as part of the efforts the UN was undertaking to improve the structure of the 193-member organisation, that also included the revitalisation of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

"In doing so, Malaysia will continue to express the view that the reform of the UNSC will only achieve results should there be strong political will and sincerity among the UN member states to work towards a mutually acceptable conclusion on the negotiations," he noted.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, during the 73rd session of the UNGA last month had suggested that the veto should not be by just one UNSC permanent member but by at least two permanent members, backed by three non-permanent members of the UNSC. The UNGA should then back the decision with a simple majority.

'Use of the veto should be regulated'

However, Jawan said in reality, the P5 (UNSC Permanent Five – the United States (US), China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom) were not willing to give up their veto power.

"As such, Malaysia will continue to support and advocate that the use of the veto should be regulated and that it shall not be used in situations involving war crimes, genocide or crimes against humanity," he added.

He said Malaysia’s membership of the UN, since September 1957, was not without challenges, but the country should remain objective and guided by its long-standing, principled positions on the issues deliberated and the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.

He said among Malaysia's contributions to the organisation was serving as a non-permanent member of the UNSC on four occasions in 1965 (sharing the term with then-Czechoslovakia, which served in 1964), 1989-1990, 1999-2000 and 2015-2016.

During its latest term, Resolution 2334 on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, was adopted on Dec 23, 2016. Malaysia, alongside New Zealand, Senegal and Venezuela, led the tabling of this resolution on illegal Israeli settlements.

Jawan said Malaysia had been participating actively in UN peacekeeping operations since 1960, as an instrument to maintain international peace and security.

To date, Malaysia has participated in 36 UN peacekeeping missions with over 35,000 of Malaysian military and police personnel deployed, specifically in the Middle East and Africa, as well as Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nepal, the Philippines, Timor Leste, East Timor, Southern Thailand and Cambodia, among others.

"Malaysia is currently involved in six UN peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Darfur, Western Sahara, South Sudan and Abyei (situated at the border between Sudan and South Sudan), involving 864 armed forces and police personnel," he said.

Among others, Malaysia is also active in the UN as a member of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation executive board member for the 2015-2019 term.

Malaysia also plays host to service centres of two UN agencies in Cyberjaya, namely the Global Service Centre of the World Health Organisation since 2008 and the Global Shared Services Centre of the United Nations Development Programme since 2012.

Malaysian Maimunah Mohd Sharif was elected UN under-secretary-general and executive director of the UN Human Settlements Programme by UNGA on Dec 22, 2017, following her nomination by the UN secretary-general.

- Bernama