Malaysia’s leadership in peacemaking recognised at AICHR Thematic Study launch
ALOR SETAR, 10 July 2025 — Malaysia’s experience in peacemaking and peacekeeping was recognised as a significant regional achievement and a potential model for ASEAN’s peace infrastructure at the launch of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Thematic Study on the Right to Peace, held from 2–3 July 2025 at the Courtyard by Marriott Kuala Lumpur South.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayesah Uy Abubakar, of the Bachelor of Social Development (BSD) Programme, School of Business and Social Sciences (SBSS), Albukhary International University (AIU), and a Member of the ASEAN Women Peace Registry (AWPR) acknowledged Malaysia’s longstanding contribution as a third-party facilitator in the Philippine peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), culminating in the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
She noted that Malaysia’s role included not only facilitating negotiations since 2001 but also deploying the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao as a vital confidence-building measure during the peace talks.
Featured speaker in the panel discussion titled Peace – Reality or Illusion?, Dr. Ayesah emphasised that while peacebuilding remains a complex and demanding process, sustained efforts by civil society demonstrate that peace is achievable. She stressed the vital role of academic networks, NGOs, and community-based initiatives in preventing the escalation of violent conflict in Southeast Asia.
She highlighted the growth of peace education within universities as a critical pillar of ASEAN’s peacebuilding infrastructure. Citing pioneering initiatives such as the Research and Education for Peace at Universiti Sains Malaysia (REPUSM) and the Southeast Asian Conflict Studies Network (SEACSN), she noted how regional collaboration has expanded through efforts like the Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Education in Southeast Asia (SHAPE-SEA) initiative, supported by the ASEAN University Network (AUN) and the Southeast Asian Human Rights Network (SEAHRN).
Building on these successes, Dr. Ayesah called for ASEAN to further strengthen this environment by ensuring meaningful civil society participation, describing it as the region’s most important asset in realising the right to peace.
During the two-day event, Dr. Ayesah also engaged with fellow academics and ASEAN representatives to introduce AIU as Malaysia’s waqaf-based university. She promoted AIU’s mission of providing inclusive, world-class education, highlighting its scholarship programme open to deserving students from across ASEAN who wish to pursue higher education in Malaysia’s multicultural academic environment.
Organised by the AICHR, led by AICHR Malaysia Representative, His Excellency Edmund Bon Tai Soon, the event marked the official launch of the AICHR Thematic Study on the Right to Peace, held alongside the Regional Training Programme on Human Rights, which featured workshops examining the intersection of conflict and human rights and explored practical pathways for advancing peace across ASEAN.
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