Thu, October 22, 2009 - HUAHIN: Prominent lawyer Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has been appointed Malaysia’s representative to the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to be inaugurated by Asean leaders at their summit in Thailand on Friday.

Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman said Shafee, who is also a commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), was nominated by Wisma Putra and approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“We have named him our representative as we need a man of integrity and (someone who) has knowledge and passion for human rights.

“He should be able to represent Malaysia well and defend allegations unfairly labelled against us,” he told the media on arrival here for the summit.

The AICHR is an organ of Asean established in accordance with the Asean Charter, with overall responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights in the grouping.

The Asean Foreign Ministers had approved the terms of reference for the AICHR at the 42nd Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting in Phuket last July.