Mahathir vows to push for review of rights declaration

Mahathir vows to push for review of rights declaration

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad
vowed to push for a review of the Universal Declaration on Human
Rights and warned of scare tactics from superpowers, reports said
yesterday.

"We will have to convince our friends that there is a need for
a review," Mahathir, regarded as a leading spokesman of the
developing world, was reported saying by The Star daily.

"So far, ASEAN is having the same opinion but what worries us
is the pressure the superpower nations will place on developing
countries to the extent that they are afraid of stating their
stand," he said.

"And this is another human right which no longer exists and
the superpowers can do whatever they like," the premier added,
alluding to the United States and the European Union who had
objected to the proposal.

The proposed review was floated by Mahathir last weekend as
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held its
annual meeting with its main western trading partners.

The U.S. and European delegations which took part in the ASEAN
meetings were taken aback by the Malaysian proposal but Asian
foreign ministers backed the idea.

Mahathir also rejected the U.S. charge that the move would
dilute the 49-year-old charter.

"These people would rather see people starve than allow for a
stable government. They would rather have their government
chasing demonstrators in the street," he said,

"But to us, the welfare of our people is important," added the
premier, who had said the document was formulated by "superpowers
which did not understand the needs of poor countries."

There was a need to reassess the whole thing and "what is
human rights," he said, adding "there are other things in human
rights other than mere individual freedom."

Malaysia wanted to see the "freedom of the majority"
guaranteed and that individual rights should not include the
right to destabilize and undermine the lives of other people.

"The west believes individuals are supreme irrespective of
what happens to the majority ... The people cannot do business,
cannot work because of the so-called expression of the freedom of
individuals," he said.

"In a country like ours where stability is important to
provide a good life to our people, we consider the good life of
people as the right of the people," he added.

The assertion that there are distinct "Asian values" such as
respect for authority and the supremacy of society over the
individual has been countered by western countries which maintain
human rights enshrined in the declaration are "universal values."

The surprise proposal has also generated concern among
activist groups who expressed concerns that some governments in
the developing world could use the review of the charter as an
excuse to suppress people.

Editorial -- Page 4