KUCHING: Malaysia repeats its stand in support of efforts to prevent the illegal trade of conventional weapons that cause international conflict and extremist activities.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Nancy Shukri, who participated in the 35th Parliament Annual Forum for Parliament and members of Parliament for Parliament for Global Action (PGA) in Bogota, Colombia, said Malaysia’s firm stand on the issue had gained supports from Board Members of Parliament and Members of Parliament for Global Action.
According to Nancy through a press statement issued from Bogota yesterday, the forum praised the commitment shown by Malaysia to offer the country to participate in the drafting of committee in relations to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) agreement.
Nancy, who is also vice-chairman of PGA Malaysia earlier in her speech at the session on ATT, said Malaysia welcomed and supported the ATT as efforts to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade of conventional weapons.
She said ATT was in no conflict with national policies on conventional arms.
However, Malaysia was still respecting the right of every country to have conventional arms for security and defence. Nancy, who attended the two-day forum starting Dec 9, also shared Malaysia’s experience in enacting domestic laws, including the Strategic Trade Act 2010 to control the distribution of conventional weapons to the black market .
Malaysia has signed ATT on Sept 26 this year during the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in New York.
This two-day conference was jointly launched by president of the Senate of Colombia Senator Juan Fernando Cristo, president of the House of Representatives of Colombia Penagos Hernan Giraldo and president of the Constitutional Court of Colombia Mg Jorge Ivan Palacio.
Also present was the president of the PGA of New Zealand HV Ross Robertson.
The conference, themed ‘Building a Stable and Durable Peace: The Role of Parliamentarians in Support of Peace Processes’ was attended by more than 100 MPs from more than 40 countries from around the world.