Malaysia Slams UN Veto Power, Warns AI Risks New Global Divide
Speaking at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Mohamad said Malaysia has consistently pushed for "punitive actions towards Israel" and backed full UN membership for Palestine.
"And yet, again and again, the collective will of this assembly has encountered the silencing effect of the veto," he said.
According to Mohamad, no arena illustrates the urgency of UN reform — or the institution's failings — more starkly than the Security Council.
"The exercise of veto must be questioned and strongly challenged by every single member of this General Assembly, particularly in cases of crimes against humanity," he said.
"The paralysis of the Security Council will not be the paralysis of the United Nations."
AI Governance and the Fallout of Middle East Tensions
Pivoting to artificial intelligence, Mohamad cautioned against letting a small cluster of nations or corporations dictate the rules governing the technology worldwide.
"Technology must serve humanity, never the reverse," he said, pressing for stronger involvement from developing nations in shaping AI governance.
"The Global South cannot simply become a destination for data centers while decisions about AI are made elsewhere," he added. "We must be partners in innovation, not merely customers and markets."
Mohamad also flagged the risks posed by the intensifying Middle East conflict to vital energy and trade corridors, specifically the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab.
"A family in Southeast Asia has no part in this dispute, yet that family still pays the price when food, fuel and cost of living rise," he said.
Malaysia called on all parties involved to pull back from further escalation and prioritize diplomatic solutions, Mohamad said — echoing the country's earlier appeals for dialogue and for safeguarding freedom of navigation through the Hormuz strait.
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