DECEMBER 10 — The theme for this year’s International Human Rights Day, which we commemorate today, 10 December 2014, is “Human Rights 365”.  This is to underline the fact that human rights is an all day, everyday issue, and not just something that we look at once a year.

In recent times, Malaysians have been exposed to the all day, everyday importance of human rights. Freedom of association, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion and the basic right to life are all aspects of our everyday existence which have come into sharp focus. With whom we gather, what we say and wear, the way we worship the Almighty (or not, as the case may be), and just simply, who or what we are, are all issues that we tend to assume without too much thought. However, when these are challenged, curtailed or censored, or when the free exercise of the same are subject to criminal investigation or prosecution, as they have been of late, we then begin to realise that these things cannot be taken for granted.

These issues are particularly relevant as we stand on the eve of Malaysia’s accession to the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (“ASEAN”), and as we are about to take up one of the 10 non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council. With pride, we look at Malaysia playing an active and leadership role both regionally and internationally. Amongst the international comity of nations, Malaysia certainly can and should play her proper role.  Contributing to a rules-based and rights-acknowledging international legal system to ensure peace, security and justice is critical in this day and age, what with the many threats and opposition to its existence.

Yet, with great pause, we also look at the practice and upholding of human rights within our own borders, and in our own backyard. The recent announcement by the Government that our proposed National Human Rights Action Plan will be based on Malaysian values, not international values, is a misunderstanding of what human rights are, and mean. Human rights are important and have intrinsic value because of their universality and objective application. The several negative responses by Cabinet ministers to external criticism of our human rights record betrays an insular, parochial perspective towards human rights which is antithetical, and in stark contrast, to our regional and international ambitions.

We live in a global village. What happens next door affects us. The Rohingya issue in Myanmar affects us. The clearing and burning of plantation land in Indonesia affects us.  Internal insurrections in Thailand and the Philippines affect us. Greater afield, who would have thought an armed separatist conflict several thousand miles away would affect us. But affect us it has, and it has deeply seared the national consciousness. So we cannot hide behind our walls and borders and tell others that they should mind their own business, or look to their own problems. In today’s interconnected world, such a narrow mindset is neither appropriate nor acceptable any longer. If it were so, why bother with ASEAN or the United Nations.

On this International Human Rights Day 2014, let us decidedly and determinedly grasp the mettle and address head-on the huge human rights deficit in this country. Let us look at what needs to be done to bring our national practice to meet international principles. Even as we walk the corridors of regional and international organisations, let us not forget what needs to be done at our own doorstep.

* Christopher Leong is the President of the Malaysian Bar.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.