PM: Asean countries' agreements pointless if poeple don't benefit

KUALA LUMPUR: All agreements, treaties and declarations between the Asean countries will be pointless if they do not benefit the 620 million people from these countries, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said.
Taking note that the Asean population is youthful and increasingly well-educated, he called the Asean parliamentarians to help create a community that is politically cohesive, economically robust and socially responsible.
"Part of making Asean people-oriented, people centered and inclusive, is to make certain that protection of human rights and improvements in quality of life are extended to everyone.
"Across Asean we must reach out to the vulnerable and marginalised, promote gender equality and ensure justice and fairness for all of our citizens," Najib said in his keynote address at the 36th Asean Inter-Parliamentary Asean (Aipa) general assembly today.
Pointing out that one of those rights is the right to clean air, he said in January, Indonesia deposited the Instrument of Ratification of the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution with Asean secretary-general.
"The agreement has been ratified by all Asean member states. This is the first regional arrangement that binds a group of contagious states to tackle transboundary haze pollution resulting from land and forest fires," Najib said.
He said Asean is taking steps to further formalise and regularise meetings between the Asean and Aipa secretariats to organise joint activities and develop mechanisms for effective monitoring.
"Between us we have formulated hundreds of agreements, treaties, communiques, statements and declarations. These instruments will be of limited effect if people do not directly benefit from them, or are not aware of the tangible advantages that come from being Asean," he said.
Najib said this is essential to support the implementation of Asean policies and agreements, and will support cohesiveness in decision making process.