KUALA LUMPUR: Former Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) commissioner Datuk Dr Aishah Bidin has been appointed the new Representative of Malaysia to the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) for the 2022-2024 term.

       She will succeed Eric Paulsen who served for a three-year term of 2019-2021, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.

       “With her vast experience in human rights issues, the government is confident that Aishah will be able to discharge her duties and responsibilities in defending and promoting Malaysia’s interests on human rights issues through AICHR.

       “The appointment is a clear manifestation of the government’s commitment to protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and promote these issues in Asean’s agenda through the AICHR,” said Saifuddin in a statement reported in Bernama.

       Aishah is a Fellow and Professor of Corporate and Insolvency Law at the Academy of Sciences Malaysia and was former Professor of Corporate and Insolvency Law at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Faculty of Law.

       She also served as a member of the Steering Committee of the Malaysian Corporate Law Reform Committee (CLRC), a member of the Review Committee of Bankruptcy and Corporate Insolvency Law of Malaysia under the Insolvency Department in the Prime Minister’s Department and the Dean of the Faculty of Law, UKM, and the former legal adviser of UKM Holdings.

       Saifuddin said the government appreciated the service and dedication of Paulsen as Malaysia’s Representative to AICHR for the past three years.