NEW YORK: The veto power of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) must be challenged and ultimately abolished to address the Council’s failures, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Foreign Minister said expanding the Council’s membership alone would not be enough to resolve its shortcomings, stressing that the use of the veto must be questioned and strongly challenged by every member of the UN General Assembly, particularly in cases involving crimes against humanity.
"The exercise of the veto must be questioned and strongly challenged by every single member of this General Assembly. Particularly in cases of crimes against humanity,” he said in his national statement at the General Debate of the 81st UN General Assembly here on Saturday (Sept 26).
Mohamad said Resolution 76/262 had already created an accountability channel between the Security Council and the General Assembly.
"We must make full use of this Resolution as a launchpad for greater accountability regarding the use of the veto,” he said.
He said the international community must begin work now to reform the UN Security Council.
"Expanding the Council's membership alone will not be enough to resolve its failures. It is the veto that must be challenged, and it is the veto that must be abolished. We must begin the work now,” he said.
Mohamad said there was still time to save the global order, stressing that paralysis in the Security Council should not translate into paralysis of the United Nations.
He also highlighted the growing trust deficit confronting the UN, saying trust could only be restored through concrete action, including ensuring that international law was upheld and that people around the world continued to believe their voices mattered.
The UNSC is the United Nations’ principal body for addressing international peace and security, comprising 15 members, including five permanent members with veto power.
Mohamad is in New York from Sept 23 to 27 for Malaysia’s participation in the 81st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).- Bernama
