Tunku Abdul Aziz

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) — The Commonwealth needs to define one issue on which it can speak with one voice and not try to replicate the United Nations or other similar better organised and funded agencies as it may defuse its capability, said Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, who was formerly a management director of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London from 1985-1992.

He said the member countries need to re-look the purpose of its existence and that the 60-year-old Commonwealth grouping should not be expected to speak in one voice on all issues.

“It has to look at the goals, the achievements, it has to be self-critical. Don’t forget to question ourselves, are we on the right track or have we achieved our previous objectives?” he said when speaking as a panel member at the “Malaysia and The Commonwealth Forum” themed “A Common Future?”, here on Monday.

Tunku Abdul Aziz said the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), the civil society organisation which facilitates public consultation on the grouping, should also look at areas which the Commonwealth had the capacity to achieve results.

Commonwealth members should concentrate on issues that the association could handle with its present resources, he added.

RCS director Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, who attended the forum, said it wanted to find issues in which the Commonwealth could best serve.

“We want to find issues where the Commonwealth can help in a unique way. The first thing is to find the key priority that the Commonwealth is going to work on, either to focus on the issue of democracy, climate change, youth or education,” said Sriskandarajah.

The RCS launched a global poll dubbed “The Commonweatlh Conversation” in July this year to engage the public on the future of the Commonwealth.

The results will be presented to the coming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago next month.

– BERNAMA