STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY MR. PENGIRAN ANAK DATO PUTEH , AMBASSADOR OF
Mr. President,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Firstly, on behalf of
Brunei Darussalam I would like to express our appreciation to the Governor of
Yucatan and the people of
Mr. President,
We have long believed
that corruption is a vicious plague that can destroy governments and societies.
It undermines rule of law, violates human rights, deprive free market
opportunities, and breeds organized crimes and violence. No country is free of
corruption. Brunei Darussalam had since 1982 passed the enabling
Anti-Corruption Legislation to fight and contain this scourge.
Over the years of our
experience in fighting corruption, we have witnessed vast improvements in
technology, increasing liberal movement of people and assets across the globe.
This global phenomenon has transformed our world into a small global village,
but with harder problems and challenges. Cross-border and international
corruption had become more sophisticated and harder to prevent. Enforcement
effort to bring the wrongdoers to justice has become more complex than ever
before. We have reached a stage where corruption is no longer confined within
our territorial or regional jurisdictions and boundaries. Given the new and
complex phenomena of this crime we believe the fight against corruption needs a
united and coordinated effort of the international community.
Mr. President,
Brunei Darussalam
welcomes this new landmark treaty with great optimism. We have now an international
instrument to address this crime. The adoption of the first United Nations
Convention Against Corruption, affirms the commitment
of the international community in the determination to prevent and control
corruption in whatever means and forms. It reaffirms the universal core values
of good and clean governance, respect for the rule of law, honesty and
accountability of holders of public office. It sends a powerful universal
warning that betrayal of public trust and abuse of public office is no longer
tolerable.
One of the most
encouraging achievements of the Convention is the breakthrough for the adoption
of provisions of International Cooperation, Mutual Legal Assistance for the
purpose of Enforcement of Confiscation Orders, Recovery and the Return of
Assets to their countries of origin. The provisions adopted set the legal
framework for a greater and wider cooperation between states to recover assets
lost through corruption. With these new fundamental principles on International
Cooperation for Enforcement and Assets Recovery, it is hoped that embezzled and
illicit assets will have no place to hide in our world. We believe, this
Convention will provide a big step forward for member states to afford one
another the legal mechanism, and the political will to work together to return
illicit assets to the rightful owner.
Mr. President,
In line with the
Anti-Money Laundering provision of the Convention, Brunei Darussalam has in
place an Anti Money Laundering Order which has strict provisions to prevent
transfer of illicit funds through its financial and banking institutions.
Moreover, our Government had set up a National Anti Money Laundering Committee
with the objective to formulate the best possible method to monitor and
apprehend criminals of money laundering.
Mr. President,
It needs to be said
that this new Convention is a remarkable achievement of the international
community. It does not only introduces a new set of comprehensive standards,
measures and rules which all countries can apply to strengthen their national
law in the criminalization and prevention of corruption at the national level,
but more importantly, the international community has now reach an
unprecedented era in which it not only afford one another the political will to
combat corruption and the laundering of its proceed, but to pave the way for
its return to the bona fide owner.
This conference marks
a great day for the United Nation. We have over the last two years gone through
a long and difficult negotiation to achieve this Convention. We join hands with
all other nations to take this opportunity to congratulate the members of the
Bureau of the Ad Hoc Committee for their endless hard work and leadership to
complete this important Convention.
Thank you.