Nazri: Malaysia to join ICC

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has decided to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) to make it known that the country is taking stand against war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz said the decision, made by the Cabinet last Friday, was historic.

“This can be seen as a declaration that Malaysia rejects and will not commit such crimes. We do not want such things to happen in our country, ” he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Nazri said Malaysia was the third country in the South-East Asian region to accede to the Rome Statute of the ICC after Timor Leste and Cambodia.

Malaysia will have to ratify the Rome Statute to join the ICC, which has its headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands.

Nazri said the Government’s decision to ratify the Rome Statute was in line with the country’s previous efforts in global peace-keeping missions.

Asked if the move would affect the Government’s implementation of the Internal Security Act, Nazri said no.

Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran, who is part of the Parliamentarians for Global Action, said Malaysia now called upon other countries, especially the neighbouring nations, to join the ICC as well.

“The move also enhances Malaysia’s image in the world,” he said.

“It shows that we have no fear and are equal to our sister countries worldwide,” he added.

Malaysia, he said, would now have the right to send judges or prosecutors to the ICC to represent the nation.

There are 114 countries that have become party to the Rome Statute of the ICC to date.