Ambiga, Shahrir get into a war of words over NSC Bill
Social activist accuses BN Backbencher of not caring about the people after he refuses to organise a briefing about the NSC Bill as “everyone wants to go on holiday.”
(Free Malaysia Today) – The atmosphere outside Parliament lobby this afternoon turned sour after social activist Ambiga Sreenevasan and Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) Chairman Shahrir Samad traded insults over the National Security Council Bill.
The heated exchange took place after Shahrir refused to entertain Ambiga’s request for him to organise a briefing session with the BNBBC to discuss the NSC Bill.
Shahrir had said a briefing was not possible as it was the last day of Parliament and that “everyone wants to go on holiday” to which a shocked Ambiga snapped at him, saying, “Do you actually care about the people?”
Offended by the question, Shahrir shot back, asking, “Are you trying to insult me? You say as if I don’t care about the people. I will not stand here and be insulted by you,” after which he stormed off.
Looking puzzled, Ambiga said, “He should be able to take criticism.”
On Tuesday, the National Security Council Bill was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim for the first reading. The second and third readings are planned to be passed today.
Earlier, Ambiga during a press conference here said that the Bill would give Prime Minister Najib Razak untrammelled power to declare an area anywhere in the country a “security area” and that it would override the powers of both the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and state government.
Meanwhile in a separate event, electoral reform group, Bersih 2.0 voiced concern that the new National Security Act, if passed, would change the landscape of parliamentary democracy in the country forever.
