welcomes this decision as it reflects the Government’s strong political will to apply the UNGPs in Malaysia and to promote greater respect for human rights by business entities in the country. The Commission hopes that in developing the national action plan, the government will engage with a wide range of stakeholders particularly the business community as well as the civil society. Recognising the interface between human rights and sustainable development, the Commission expects that the action plan will also emphasise the indispensability of business respect for human rights in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Commission stands ready to offer its advice and input towards formulating a plan that is ambitious and at the same time practical. In relation to this, the Commission is of the view that the government should extend an invitation to the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights to visit Malaysia. Such a visit would be useful as Malaysia would be able to avail itself of the expert views and recommendations provided by the Working Group based on its findings during the visit, especially in addressing the gaps and challenges relating to the application of the UNGPs in the country. Considering the progress made by many other countries in the field of business and human rights, as showcased during the forum, the Commission hopes that with the government’s commitment to develop a national action plan on business and human rights, Malaysia will also be able to make headway in fostering a culture of respect for human rights by businesses in all stages of their operations with the appropriate grievance mechanisms in place. 7. ASEAN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS (AICHR) The Commission places high expectations on the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), as the primary human rights body in ASEAN, despite skepticism by certain quarters about its ability to effectively promote and protect human rights in the region. The Commission believes that AICHR has the potential to meaningfully address the various human rights issues facing the region, granted that its representatives manifest the collective will to uphold the highest standards of human rights promotion and protection. 58 S UH A KA M A N N UA L R E P O R T 2 0 1 7