UNITED NATIONS – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim introduced Malaysia Madani to world leaders and delegates at the United Nations today, as a blueprint for a harmonious society and lasting peace among neighbours.
“Early this year, I introduced Malaysia Madani – a vision built on the pillars of core values that we believe are indispensable in any harmonious, thriving, and peaceful society – Compassion, Respect, Trust, Innovation, Prosperity, and Sustainability,” Anwar said.
He explained that these basic principles and moral values also apply in the context of Malaysia’s relations with other countries.
“Whether it is G7, or G20 or G77, or Apec, or the world’s largest FTA, there is no denying that multilateral collaboration is the sine qua non for any effective and sustainable resolution to the crises that the world is beset with,” Anwar said at the conclusion of his maiden address as prime minister.
In this regard, he said, it bears stressing that Malaysia’s commitment to the UN and the multilateral system is borne out of the strong conviction that all countries, no matter how big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak, have a common responsibility towards creating a better world for tomorrow.
“The world and our future in it is what we envision and construct it to be. Malaysia believes we can achieve this through greater trust and strengthened multilateralism.
“The United Nations can be the vessel to take us from despondency to a brighter future, from uncertainty to optimism, and from vulnerability to resilience,” he concluded.
Anwar was participating in the General Debate of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
This year’s theme at the UNGA is “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals toward peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all.”
Earlier, Anwar reminded delegates on the basis of the establishment of the UN and that some of the member states of the League of Nations seem to have discarded the ideals of the institution.
“When this august assembly was established almost 80 years ago, the world was still reeling from the horrors of a catastrophic bloodletting that our nations resolved should never be repeated.
“A decision – profound in wisdom, magnanimous in intent and bold in ambition – was made so that the General Assembly would become the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations,” he said.
Anwar said by giving equal voice to the sovereign nations of the world, the founders of the UN pursued a vision of a more democratic world, predicated on the dictates of equity and justice.
“This was a vision that consigned to the past the predations of the strong over the weak, of the rich and powerful over the poor, and the marginalised, and of the big powers over the rest.
“That vision has, in my opinion, been utterly shattered to pieces,” he admonished.
To illustrate, Anwar articulated on the conflict in Ukraine; the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian Occupied Territories; the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan; and the post-coup violence in Myanmar. – September 22, 2023