A/HRC/11/37 policy, a national child protection policy and the relevant plans of action. Serious efforts had been made to review some reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women with a view to lifting them. With regard to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a technical committee had been established to study the possibility of withdrawing reservations, which was expected to be considered before the end of 2009. The Government was in the process of amending the Child Act 2001 in order to implement the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The proposed amendments included the extension of powers of child protection teams, broadening the scope of coverage to include victims of trafficking, and the repeal of corporal punishment sentences for children, replacing them with community service orders. An additional M$81.1 million had been allocated to enhance a community-based rehabilitation programme for children with disabilities. 696. Malaysia had developed gender-awareness programmes, which included books explaining to children that girls should enjoy the same rights as boys, as outlined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. 697. With a view to enhancing the transparency and independence of Malaysia’s national human rights commission (SUHAKAM), in April 2009, the Government amended the 1999 SUHAKAM Act. The amendments refined the criteria for the appointment and reappointment of Commission members and provided for performance assessment mechanisms. Further proposed amendments to the SUHAKAM Act expected to be submitted to the next session of Parliament included the requirement to consult with civil society representatives in the appointment of Commission members. 698. On the issue of the death penalty, Malaysia reiterated that this was only applied to the most heinous crimes, such as drug trafficking, murder, treason and kidnapping, and the Government was considering proposals to commute the penalty to life imprisonment. 699. Malaysia was concerned at all instances of abuse, including those against foreign workers, who were protected by domestic employment laws and had access to legal remedies. Employment disputes may be referred to both the Labour Department and the Industrial Court. Foreign workers who filed cases against their Malaysian employers were granted an adequate period of stay and would be issued with a special pass while awaiting trial. Additionally, a 2–hour hotline had been established to deal with complaints of abuse from foreign workers. Guidelines for employers for the recruitment of foreign workers had been introduced. 700. Malaysia reiterated that its efforts to secure the protection and promotion of human rights had been very much focused on achieving inter-racial harmony in society and equitable socio-economic development. 2. Views expressed by Member and observer States of the Council on the review outcome 701. The United Arab Emirates appreciated Malaysia’s efforts to implement the result of the universal periodic review and its commitment to cooperate with human rights mechanisms. It highly valued the efforts to entrench fundamental freedoms and human rights through additional mechanisms and activities, particularly to strengthen the rights of the child. It noted that a technical committee had been established to implement the review recommendations, and paid tribute to the social and economic efforts made to guarantee integrity and harmony in society. 702. Cuba stated that Malaysia had achieved a high level of economic and social development. Malaysia had accepted a majority of the recommendations, which covered a wide range of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. Cuba acknowledged the undeniable progress made in the country, and referred with interest to an electronic system 164 GE.09-16766