Despite pockets of protest, BN senators vote NSC Bill through

(Malay Mail Online) – Barisan Nasional senators approved the controversial National Security Council (NSC) Bill in the Dewan Negara today, despite sporadic concern that the law could be abused by Putrajaya.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the government welcomed the criticism, and pledged to consider their demands for further improvements to the Bill to prevent any miscarriage of the law.

“We gave great attention to all the constructive criticisms and proposals given by those who partook in the debates for the past two days and the government pledges to consider them.

“Should there be any flaws to the Bill, we will strive towards improving the law in the future,” Shahidan said in his winding-up speech of the NSC Bill debate.

Most of the criticism levelled against the Bill throughout the debate focused on concerns that the law would empower the prime minister to declare a state of emergency without needing to seek the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

But Shahidan dismissed these as inaccurate, claiming that the power to declare emergency belongs solely to the Agong, and that the prime minister only has the power, as advised by the council, to declare a certain location as a security zone.

“I think it is important that we do not interpret the Bill from our fears, but from a pragmatic view,” he said.

According to the Sun Daily yesterday, the new security law was debated by 19 senators in the Dewan Negara.

The English daily’s report said that during the debate, Malaysian Senators Council (MSM) president Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman questioned the Bill’s constitutionality, citing the wide-ranging powers it gives to those in charge of areas identified as security zones.

Among others, the MSM president had raised concerns over the powers of those tasked with relocating persons or acquiring land and property, which is said to contravene Articles 9 and 13 of the Federal Constitution on freedom of movement and right to property.

The senator also reportedly suggested the formation of a committee under the Dewan Negara’s standing orders to allow Senate members to discuss the matter further.

Today, another BN senator wanted Putrajaya to reconsider the Bill due to the possibility of abuse, echoing the views of his colleagues who want the government to amend key aspects of the law to prevent any wrongful use.

The NSC Bill 2015, which was tabled by Shahidan last month, proposes to allow the National Security Council — which would be chaired by the prime minister — to take command of the country’s security forces and impose strict policing of areas deemed to face security risks.

According to the Bill, the NSC’s jurisdiction takes effect once the prime minister designates a location as a “security area” — a status that is valid for six months at a time, subject to renewal by the prime minister.

Once the NSC takes over control of a security area, security forces will have the right to search or arrest without warrant any individual “found committing, alleged to have committed, or reasonably suspected of having committed any offence under written laws in the security area”.