Today, the world is still experiencing far too many conflicts and the loss of hundreds of thousands of human lives (not to mention equal numbers of serious injuries and rapes) due to the under regulated arms trade.
Conflict and armed violence facilitated by this nefarious trade also continue to greatly impede the vital development of many countries across Asia and Africa. It is no coincidence that UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 calls for, inter-alia, ‘safecities’ and UN SDG 16 is, inter-alia, dedicated to ‘the promotion of peaceful societies’.
Why should Malaysia, in particular, ratify the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)?
Malaysia is a strong supporter of the ATT. It has professed this support in many government statements and it also signed the ATT on Sept 26, 2013, the first country in South East Asia to do so.
Before taking the next step – ratifying the ATT and becoming a State Party – it is necessary for the government to embark on a process of ensuring domestic laws are in compliance with international treaty requirements and to introduce any amendments that may be needed. This is ongoing in Malaysia today.
At the same time, however, more than three years have now passed since Malaysia signed the ATT, and with each passing year, concerns regarding Malaysia’s true commitment to this vital international convention only grow.
The importance of the ATT for Malaysia, as well as for the world, has surely never ‘hit home’ more clearly than in the context of the downing of Flight MH17.
In the light of the conclusion last week by international prosecutors led by The Netherlands, and including a Malaysian delegation, that Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was downed over eastern Ukraine in March 2014 by a Buk missile of the series 9M83 that had come from Russia, it is vital for the government to show that Malaysia is genuinely serious in combating the illicit trade in arms that is so fundamentally at odds with the basic safety, welfare and wellbeing of the global family and our own citizens.
Once again, it is disappointing that, even after being a victim of aggression from non-state actors which caused the death of 283 passengers and 15 crew members, as a result of an illegal movement of a weapon across an international border, little or no evidence exists that the government is currently proceeding in an expeditious manner to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty.
Indeed, Article 2 (1) (g) of the ATT specifically includes ‘Missiles and Missile Launchers’ within the scope of this crucial international treaty. Ratification of the ATT by Malaysia should be considered a high priority by the government, demonstrating its true commitment to stopping such actions and encouraging others to also take this step.
Over the past 5 years, the Malaysian National Group of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) has been at the forefront of advocacy initiatives, both in Parliament and in interactions with relevant government ministers, as well as in the media, urging our government first to sign, and now to ratify, the ATT.
Today, we reiterate this heartfelt clarion call for the government to move far more expeditiously in this matter than seemingly has been the case to date. By ratifying the ATT, not only do we in Malaysia make an important contribution to making the world a safer place and set a good example of leadership for other countries in our troubled region to follow, but we also – as a nation – depart the United Nations Security Council at the end of this year with a substantial and tangible manifestation of commitment to global peace. Most of all, we honour the memory of all the lives lost on Flight MH17 in a meaningful and lasting way.
M. Kula Segaran is MP for Ipoh Barat and DAP National Vice- Chairman in Ipoh.
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