NEW YORK, Sept 27 — The veto power of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) must be challenged and ultimately abolished to address the panel’s failures, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said.
He said expanding the council’s membership alone would not be enough to resolve its shortcomings, stressing that the use of the veto must be questioned and strongly challenged by every member of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), particularly in cases involving crimes against humanity.
“The exercise of the veto must be questioned and strongly challenged by every single member of this General Assembly. Particularly in cases of crimes against humanity,” he said in his national statement at the General Debate of the 81st UNGA here yesterday.
Mohamad said there is already an accountability channel between UNSC and UNGA under Resolution 76/262.
“We must make full use of this resolution as a launchpad for greater accountability regarding the use of the veto,” he said.
He said the international community must begin work now to reform UNSC.
“Expanding the council's membership alone will not be enough to resolve its failures. It is the veto that must be challenged, and it is the veto that must be abolished. We must begin the work now,” he said.
Mohamad said there is still time to save the global order, stressing that paralysis in UNSC should not translate into paralysis in the UN.
He also highlighted the growing trust deficit confronting the UN, saying trust can only be restored through concrete action, including ensuring international law is upheld and people around the world continue to believe their voices matter.
UNSC is the UN’s principal body for addressing international peace and security, comprising 15 members, including five permanent members with veto power.
Mohamad is in New York until today to represent Malaysia in the 81st UNGA.
