YouSaid · the spoken record

Anwar Ibrahim

lines on the record: 33
first: 1994-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In that regard, it bears stressing that Malaysia’s commitment to the United Nations and the multilateral system is born out of our strong conviction that all countries, no matter how big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak, have a common responsibility to create a better world for tomorrow. The world and our future in it is what we envision and construct it to be. Malaysia believes that 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.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“a vision built on the pillars of the core values that we believe are indispensable in any harmonious, thriving and peaceful society: compassion, respect, trust, innovation, prosperity and sustainability. Those basic principles and moral values also apply in the context of our relations with other countries. Whether it is the Group of Seven, the Group of 20. the Group of 77. the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or the world’s largest free trade area, there is no denying that multilateral collaboration is the sine qua non for any effective and sustainable resolution to the crises that beset the world.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We must embody the values of acceptance, tolerance and mutual respect. We must promote intercultural. inter-civilizational and inter-religious understanding and cooperation. We must unite our faiths in common causes to promote understanding and goodwill among our peoples and strengthen peace and harmony among nations. Those are indeed tall orders, but that is the very reason we are here. I truly believe that no challenge, however formidable, is insurmountable if we secure the collective commitment of the global community, the States Members of this institution. What we need is trust, the conviction to make the world a better place and the will to work together on a platform of consensus and solidarity. Early this year. I introduced Malaysia Madani.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Those factors cry out for drastic, systemic reform — a total reset of the global institutions that impact our lives — or else we will continue to face widening inequality setting apart nations and peoples. We are concerned over the emergence of a new form of racism characterized by xenophobia, negative profiling and the stereotyping of Muslims. That is manifested in an alarming trend of hatred, intolerance, and acts of violence against Muslims and their sanctities. We are appalled by the legitimization of these acts under the feeble defence of human rights. The burning of the Holy Qur’an is nothing but a clear Islamophobic act intended to incite hatred. Inaction in the face of such blatant provocation to a religion is simply irresponsible and sends a dangerous message to humankind.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023 has confirmed that we are falling behind, with nearly a third of the targets either in a state of inertia or. worse, regressing. The global economy is also projected to continue to be weighed down by geopolitical uncertainties, supply chain disruptions, increase in commodity prices and challenging financial conditions. That has widened the gap between economic growth and income, leading to a continuous disparity. As the growth in incomes fails to match economic growth, households become burdened with debt. We now have the super-rich living side by side with the ultra-poor. The contrast lies starkly in the things that matter: food on the table, shelter, access to quality education and health care.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“As such, we have not a moment to lose. Malaysia is doing its part by developing low- carbon and renewable energy road maps to implement mitigating and adaptation strategies. The newly launched National Energy Transition Roadmap should aid us in achieving our nationally determined contributions, as well as lighting the path towards our net zero aspirations. Discussions on climate change in the absence of equity, justice and the necessary means to assist and empower countries to undertake greater climate action are an exercise in futility. We also urge the developed countries to fulfil their commitment to mobilizing $100 billion a year to support the climate ambition endeavours of developing countries, while recognizing that trillions of dollars per annum will be needed in the near future.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Malaysia calls on Myanmar to immediately implement the ASEAN five-point consensus towards achieving peace and stability in the country. ASEAN is navigating the rivalry between major Powers in the Asia-Pacific. Malaysia believes that any strategy undertaken should neither start nor exacerbate a race for dominance. Instead, such strategies should contribute to peace and stability, security and prosperity in the region. Scientists have confirmed that the world has just experienced its hottest summer in history. We have heard Secretary-General Guterres gravely declare that climate breakdown has begun. Even Malaysia is seeing an increase in the adverse impacts of climate change, with increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, intensified monsoons and erratic weather patterns disrupting livelihoods and degrading local ecosystems.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We are deeply horrified by the continued post-coup violence and instability in Myanmar. The situation in that country is currently among South-East Asia’s biggest strategic and humanitarian challenges in recent years. The barbarism and depravity inflicted upon the people of Myanmar are indefensible and go against the values and principles shared by the peoples of the region and globally. The support of the international community, including the United Nations, is crucial to urge continuously and maintain the necessary pressure on the military authorities to reverse their course. In as much as the principle of the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dictates that the continued atrocities must end.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Malaysia remains deeply concerned over the dire humanitarian situation in the country. That is especially so given that the country is grappling with its third consecutive year of drought and a devastating locust infestation that has severely undermined wheat harvests. On our part. Malaysia is committed to continuing its existing people-to- people relations with Afghanistan, including through the provision of humanitarian aid. However, we remain resolute and firm in our call on the authorities of Afghanistan to reverse their exclusionary and discriminatory policies against women and girls. Denying their right to go to school is a violation of the teachings of Islam, not to mention the Charter of the United Nations and the multilateral framework of human rights. They are also profoundly detrimental to the future of Afghanistan.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“As in other conflicts elsewhere, be it in the Middle East or South-East Asia, forced migrations take place, piling on the problems of refugees and statelessness. In the Middle East, the politics of dispossession continue with a vengeance with more illegal settlements being built, stripping Palestinians of land that rightfully belongs to them. That constitutes a gross violation of international law. It also poses an insurmountable obstacle to a two-State solution, not to mention the continued killings. There is also flagrant hypocrisy in dealing with the issue of Palestine. The international community must speak up against the atrocities committed towards the Palestinians even as they so vehemently speak out against human rights violations, injustice and abusive regimes. On Afghanistan.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“The conflict in Ukraine, for example, underscores the imperative to make peace and settle differences amicably through negotiations. Nevertheless, time is not on our side, and owing to the protracted failure to deal with the Russia-Ukraine crisis. I urge a concerted multilateral effort led by the United Nations to resolve it. We cannot choose our neighbours, but we can choose to live in peace with them. And peace cannot happen without the cessation of hostilities by all parties. It is imperative for all parties to return to dialogue and resolve their differences through the negotiation table. The extent of the Ukraine conflict has radiated throughout the world as food prices have skyrocketed, leading to shortages and hunger, further malnutrition and despair.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“The upshot is that we are confronted with a geopolitical and geostrategic dilemma. While the major Powers continue to assure us that a binary choice is not being imposed, the reality for many is that it is the only choice offered. Unchecked, that will ultimately lead once again to a world where the masses are unrepresented, where the few rule over the many, and the many resent the few. The lofty ideals and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations call upon nations to resolve their disputes through peaceful means and to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any State. We condemn unequivocally the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“It 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 marginalized, and of the big Powers over the rest. That vision, in my opinion, has been utterly shattered to pieces. Today, we find that the major Powers and those that aspire to greater international status are increasingly casting the United Nations aside for smaller, supposedly more efficacious platforms. As the Powers continue to pay lip service to the imperative of multilateralism, we see the emergence of multilateralism instead, effectively becoming fragmented configurations of power. We are living in a deeply polarized world. We are seeing major Power rivalry unfolding with consequences that will negatively impact nations, especially the smaller ones, in the regions of conflict.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“When the 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, policy making and representative organ of the United Nations. That decision manifested no less than the very strength and courage of our convictions. By giving equal voice to the sovereign nations of the world, the founders of the United Nations pursued a vision of a more democratic world, predicated on the dictates of equity and justice.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“In short, the very legitimacy of this international body hinges upon its realizing the ideal of becoming the conscience of the global community.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Dag Hammarskjöld, when reflecting on the state of the world almost 40 years ago, was perhaps less exuberant than we are at the prospects of globalism. With the memory of war still fresh, he said: “We must serve our apprenticeship and at every stage try to develop forms of international coexistence as far as is possible at the moment.” That apprenticeship has now been served. The United Nations must innovate and renew itself to address the challenges of the twenty-first century. It must progress and transform itself from being a theatre for the 14 concert of a few powerful nations into an effective and representative vehicle for global governance. And, beyond that, it must be animated by the spirit of justice and a bias towards compassion.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Its strength, as in the case of Malaysia and other South-East Asian countries, is to accept and to experience the proposition that development and democracy are not mutually exclusive; and the exercise in responsible liberty by the ordinary people and their participation in public life does not necessarily result in social indiscipline and political instability. Development is enriched by multiculturalism where the practice of tolerance and moderation has turned religious and ethnic diversity from being a source of conflict into an ingredient for success. In a world torn by ethnic and religious passions and cultural prejudices, the experience of South-East Asia in multiculturalism may provide some clues for devising the means for peaceful coexistence and productive partnership among citizens of the global village.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“None the less, they must not impede efforts to seek and implement genuine solutions for our common good and shared problems. We must accept the new realities, particularly the far-reaching systemic transformations in the global economy. The growing economic strength of East Asia and the newly industrializing countries will invariably bring about a new equation of power and responsibility in global affairs. We are fully aware of the many shortcomings inherent within East Asia; its remarkable economic performance is far from miraculous. Nevertheless, its experience portrays the path of change towards the qualitative search for excellence. Political stability was appropriated to garner efforts for economic growth which ultimately became the means to empower the people.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Malaysia is prepared to make an early commitment to the goals of true globalism and, with a genuine mechanism reposing in the United Nations, to a new world system for international peace, security and development. We will continue to participate actively in the work of the multilateral system. International society has grown fourfold since 1945. The world is heterogeneous and multicultural. Meaningful discourse cannot be limited by the narrowness of parameters or an overbearing sense of cultural supremacy. We must strive to overcome and transcend unproductive polarizations. We all need to purge ourselves of the arrogance and myopia embedded in the old mind-set. We must learn to honour diversity of opinion and the multiplicity of world views and perspectives on life and society.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“A revitalized Economic and Social Council has the potential to coordinate and, it is hoped, harmonize policies emanating from separate bodies such as the G-7 and the Bretton Woods institutions. In this regard priority must be accorded to an Agenda for Development which would provide the new framework for international development cooperation, the basis for a truly global partnership. The United Nations must also spearhead the struggle towards total and complete nuclear disarmament. The major Powers must not slacken the momentum towards effective non-proliferation and comprehensive test-ban treaties, critical to our collective resolve to halt the arms race and eliminate the utilization of weapons of mass destruction.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“As the Council is unrepresentative, the first step towards reform must be to increase the numbers of non-permanent members. The veto, a creation of the power politics of the past, must be part of the total reform of the Council. The United Nations still represents the best recourse for developing countries to advance their interests in global affairs. Hence, we cannot allow the present uncertainties about the structure and role of the United Nations to remain unresolved. The United Nations, despite financial problems, cannot be allowed to become a mendicant of the power brokers at the expense of the principles of the Charter. The United Nations is the only institution capable of providing the vehicle for a comprehensive and integrated approach to peace and development.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The role of major Powers, at least those that still deserve that status, is explicitly recognized in the Charter of the United Nations. However, many of us will not be willing to agree that these Powers should continue to be Charter-privileged to intervene wherever they wish and only when their own interpretations of peace and security warrant intervention. 13 Reform of the Security Council is necessary to reflect a more equitable geographical representation and towards making the Council more accountable to the general membership. Resistance from a few, whose own claims to being major Powers are becoming increasingly unpersuasive, should not be allowed to stand in the way of change. The issue is not one merely of enlarging the permanent membership but is one of enhanced participation.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“While the situation in Somalia clearly reflected the need for some form of United Nations involvement, if not intervention, there have been other operations where even countries in the region have been totally opposed to United Nations involvement. My delegation, which has been deeply involved in United Nations peace-keeping operations, is concerned about operations which serve questionable interest groups. In the Security Council, while agreement between the Permanent Five has removed obstacles and facilitated settlements of disputes, the momentum behind the push to solve issues, if not properly checked and balanced by a process of accountability and non-selectivity of issues, may prove to be the undoing of the Council itself and of its moral authority.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Should we also ask then: if the Council was ready to plunge into the Gulf crisis a few years ago, how can that be reconciled with the political timidity and clear absence of resolve to take effective action in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, even after the rejection of the so-called peace plan by the Serbs? Within the United Nations itself, the peace-keeping operations decided on by the Security Council provide no clear institutional structure for consultation, especially between non-Security-Council member troop-contributing countries and Security Council members. Yet the major Powers are resisting the urgent need for regular consultations between the Security Council and troop- contributing countries.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“But more significantly, it has, by its very existence, prepared the groundwork for a global order that would be truly democratic and multicultural. However, as we draw up the balance sheet of that era and contemplate the challenges of the twenty-first century, we must take into serious account our many limitations. Clearly, the United Nations as it exists today is unable effectively to deal with critical global issues. In the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina the Security Council remains paralysed in the implementation of its own resolutions.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The peace dividend that we aspire to reap will not be realized without sustained growth in the global economy. However, growth prospects are often hampered by short- sighted policies and structural crises within the industrial economies. Viewed in this light, the popular call for macroeconomic stabilization should not be confined to the developing countries alone but instead should encompass both the developing and the industrial economies. The United Nations will soon commemorate its fiftieth year of existence. It would be uncharitable to ignore altogether the outstanding contributions made to humanity by this world body and its agencies. It has provided a platform for international cooperation in the fields of education, law, health, culture, economics, refugee relief and so on.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Hundreds of thousands of hectares of virgin forest are burning, and valuable species are being lost. If indeed the tropical forest is the heritage of mankind, the responsibility for its protection must necessarily be collective. While the South-East Asian countries will take the necessary measures, we appeal to the global community, especially the richer members, to help us put out this fire on an urgent and priority basis. We regard the issue of global population as inseparable from the overall concern of development. Reductions in fertility mainly come about from investment in education and health care for women. While we share the fundamental objectives of the Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, we deplore the attempt to impose views without regard for the values of others.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The World Summit for Social Development will take place next year, and what will be the value of assiduously negotiated documents when, as with the Rio Agenda 21, no real means are provided for their implementation? The recent International Monetary Fund/World Bank meeting at Madrid highlighted the preoccupation of the major developed countries, often at a tangent from the needs and requirements of developing countries. At the Rio Summit, the developed countries declared that the tropical forests belonged to the whole world. It was maintained that these forests must always remain in order to maintain biological diversity and sustain ecological balance. Today, South-East Asia is covered in thick haze, adversely affecting the health of the people.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The rights of the individual must be safeguarded inasmuch as the stability of society cannot be compromised. It is within this framework that we conceive the restoration of human rights in any society, industrial or developing, as a continuing endeavour which we must never abandon. The promise made at the 1992 Rio Summit remains unfulfilled. If no increased official development assistance is forthcoming and the international target of 12 0.7 per cent is not met, this will represent a serious reneging on the Rio commitments, notwithstanding the Global Environment Facility. This will raise questions as to the commitment of the North to pledges made at major conferences.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“As for civil society, its growth into maturity requires the establishment of institutions for a stable and responsive social order, a democratic participatory arrangement as a means to channel political energy, and an environment in which culture can flourish. In all these areas, it is the people that matter — their freedom, security and development. All great traditions of mankind, East and West, concur in the sanctity of the human person, the family as a fundamental unit of society, and the primacy of moral and ethical values as a foundation of civilizations. The sanctity of the human person warrants the State’s protection of the inalienable rights of all to freedom, to participate in social, political and cultural processes and to optimize the potential of the human person through development.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The North-South divide in wealth, power and control over resources is still too pronounced to be ignored, and the redistribution of global prosperity is far from being realized. The paramount challenge facing the global community today is to fulfil the promises made in recent years of systemic change in the global environment. This is to be achieved through sustained efforts in regard to economic development and through the strengthening of civil society and multilateral institutions. Development is the only secure foundation for global peace and security, for the origins of conflicts are often very deeply rooted in socio-economic deprivation and disparities.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“South Africa has emerged from its political catharsis as a nation free of apartheid and with majority rule; Cambodia experienced free and democratic elections; and lasting peace in West Asia came closer to realization with the Israeli-Palestinian accords. However, the initial euphoria will be somewhat short-lived. The path ahead is strewn with uncertainties and pitfalls. The end of the cold war has yet to reward us fully with its promise of global peace and security. It has instead unleashed the demons of parochial nationalism, tribalism, religious fanaticism — as witnessed in the “ethnic cleansing” in Bosnia — tribal warfare in Rwanda and religious dissension in some countries.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“I should like to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly at its forty-ninth session. May I also express our appreciation to Ambassador Samuel Insanally of Guyana for having successfully guided the work of the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session and further enhanced its centrality. The cold war has ended, and totalitarianism has met its nemesis. At this very critical stage in history, we must seize the opportunity to redesign the international order so as to realize the aspirations of the global community. We must meet this challenge and collectively reconstruct a truly just order for our time and for the generations to come. Indeed, the global community has reached many significant milestones. More nations have agreed to resolve their disputes by peaceful means.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)