Role of the International Humanitarian Law Committee of Malaysia in Implementation of International Humanitarian Law

Abstract

The objective of this article is to study the need for a national International Humanitarian Law (IHL) committee to domesticate the Geneva Conventions of 1949 in Malaysia. This study focuses on the core functions of the national IHL committee as recommended by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The methodology to be used is by analysing the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, observing the activities of Jawatankuasa Undang-Undang Kemanusiaan Antarabangsa Malaysia (JUKAM), attending IHL symposiums and conducting interviews. The findings confirm that there is a need to have an active national IHL committee. It is unnecessary to be highly ambitious by creating a complex structured national IHL committee with a high annual budget. It is sufficient for the structure of the national IHL committee to develop gradually or to consider other alternatives. Based on the evidence provided by national IHL committees in other countries, success in domesticating IHL in Malaysia is achievable with an active JUKAM and a strong political will by all stakeholders, including the decision-makers.