Sowing GM Crops: Populating Bioethics in the Malaysian Biosafety ACT 2007 Through Public Participation
The bioethical issue is one of the concerns on genetically modified (GM) crops. One of the features to acknowledge this bioethical issue is through public participation. Through public participation, any concerns relating to the application and the release of GM crops could be integrated in the biosafety decision making process. The role of public participation is essential as it is a foundation of responsible democratic governance. It advocates public consultations by creating opportunities for transparency, informed and representative decision-making processes. This paper appraises the provision on public participation in the Malaysian Biosafety Act 2007 as to the extent to which bioethical issues could be integrated in the biosafety decision making process. The paper also proposes suggestions on good governance of public participation based on the relevant international legal agreements so that it is properly enforced and serves the desired objective of Biosafety Act 2007.
Downloads
Ben Mepham, Bioethics: An Introduction for the Biosciences (2nd edn, Oxford University Press 2008).
David DeGrazia and Thomas A Mappes, Biomedical Ethics (5th edn, McGraw-Hill 2001).
David M. Kaplan, The Philosophy of Food (University of California Press 2012).
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Multilateral Trade Negotiations on Agriculture: A Resource Manual (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2000).
Gary Comstock, ‘Ethics and Genetically Modified Foods', Ethics and Genetically Modified Foods (North American Agricultural Biotechnology Council 2001).
Gary L. Comstock, Life Science Ethics (2nd ed, Springer 2010).
Howard Davis, Human Rights Law Directions (3rd edn, Oxford University Press 2013).
Laurence Boisson de Chazournes, No TitleNew Technologies, the Precautionary Principle, and Public Participation (Oxford University Press 2009).
Ronnie Harding, Environmental Decision-Making the Roles of Scientists, Engineers and the Public (The Federation Press 1998).
Zephaniah Dhlamini, ‘Agricultural Biotechnology' in M. Khalequzzaman A. Chowdhury (ed), Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms: Basic concepts, methods and issues (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2009)
Journals
Ainul Jaria Maidin, ‘Access to Public Participation in the Land Planning and Environmental Decision Making Process in Malaysia' (2011) 1 International Journal of Humanities and Social Science. <http://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol._1_No._3;_March_2011/22.pdf>.
Ben Mepham, Bioethics: An Introduction for the Biosciences (2nd edn, Oxford University Press 2008).
Daniel Callahan, ‘Bioethics as a Discipline' (1973) 1 Hastings Center Studies.
Dasimah Bt Omar and Oliver Ling Hoon Leh, ‘Malaysian Development Planning System: Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan and Public Participation' (2009) 5 Asian Social Science <http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ass/article/download/206/170>.
Gene Rowe and Lynn J. Frewer, ‘Public Participation Methods: A Framework for Evaluation' (2000) 25 Science Technology Human Values <http://cooptools.ca/sites/get.cooptools.ca/files/Rowe frewer public engagement.pdf.>.
Latifah Amin, ‘Awareness and Knowledge on Modern Biotechnology' (2011) 10 African Journal of Biotechnology.
Pastsy Healey, ‘Local Plans in British Land Use Planning: Urban and Regional Planning Series' (1983) 31 Pergamon Press.
Roger Straughan, ‘Ethics, Morality and Crop Biotechnology. 1. Intrinsic Concerns' (1995) 24 Outlook on Agriculture <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/003072709502400309>.
Siti Hafsyah Idris, ‘Biosafety Act 2007: Does It Really Protect Bioethical Issues Relating To GMOS' (2013) 26 Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics.
Sonia Boutillon, ‘The Precautionary Principle: Development of an International Standard' (2002) 23 Michigan Journal of International Law.
T.S. Saraswathy Subramaniam, ‘Genetically Modified Mosquito: The Malaysian Public Engagement Experience 2018.' (2012) 7 Journal Biotechnology <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/biot.201200282/epdf.>.
Claire Marris, ‘Issues Concerning Public Awareness and Attitudes Towards Genetically Modified Bananas and Tropical Fruits', Third Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and Tropical Fruits (Puerto de la Cruz 2004) <ftp://ftp.fao.org/unfao/bodies/ccp/ba-tf/04/j0803e.pdf.>.
Rosemary Robins and John Fleming, ‘Managing Risk Ethically', Gene Technology Ethics Committee Discussion Paper (Office of the Gene Technology Regulator 2004) <http://www.ogtr.gov.au/committee/gtec.htm>.
Department of Biosafety Regulatory Process, ‘Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment' (Malaysia: Department of Biosafety, 2018) <http://www.biosafety.nre.gov.my/regulatory_process/pub_ann_syngenta.shtml. > accessed 12 December 2018.
Dominic Glover, ‘Public Participation and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety A Review for DFID and GEF' (Institute of Development Studies, 2003) <http://bch.cbd.int/database/attachment/?id=10099.> accessed 12 December 2018.
Gene Technology Ethics Committee, ‘National Framework for the Development of Ethical Principles in Gene Technology' (Commonwealth of Australia, 2006) <http://www.ogtr.gov.au/internet/ogtr/publishing.nsf/content/gtecpapers-1/$FILE/gtecethicalprinc.pdf.> accessed 12 December 2018.
Jennifer Lilley, ‘Brazil, Malaysia Cancel GM Mosquito Trials Citing Risks and Ineffectiveness' (Natural News, 2015) <http://www.naturalnews.com/049426_GM_mosquitoes_dengue_fever_Oxitec.html#ixzz3hiyEIzUI> accessed 12 December 2018.
John-Stewart Gordon, ‘Bioethics: The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP)' (IEP, 2015) <http://www.iep.utm.edu/bioethic/> accessed 12 December 2015.
Lyle Glowka, ‘Law and Modern Biotechnology: Selected Issues of Relevance to Food and Agriculture' (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2003) <ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/y4839e/y4839e00.pdf.> accessed 12 December 2018.
Paul Post, ‘Consumers Should Consider GMOs on Case-By-Case Basis' (Genetic Llteracy Project, 2015) <https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/02/05/consumers-should-consider-gmos-on-case-by-case-basis/> accessed 12 December 2018.
R. Mackenzie, ‘An Explanatory Guide to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety' (IUCN Environmental Law Centre, 2003) <https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/EPLP-046.pdf> accessed 12 December 2018.
