NST Leader: UN veto power under fire as calls for reform intensify
VETO is the Latin word for “I forbid” or “I prohibit”, derived from the Latin verb vetare conceived during the 494BC revolt in ancient Rome against the unjust actions or laws of ruling aristocratic magistrates.
The use of veto power in the United Nations, a 2,440-year evolution from ancient Rome, has become a contentious issue as calls for reform intensify. The five permanent members of the Security Council, comprising the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France, wield this power, each using it 13 to 89 times since 1945.
Malaysia's Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, has called for questioning and challenging the veto, particularly its use in crimes against humanity. He argues that while expanding the Security Council's membership is pointless, its current paralysis should not dislocate the UN's viability. The veto, which has been invoked 286 times, is seen as a powerful tool on matters of life and death, but its democratic fairness is questioned.
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