KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — The proposed amendments to the National Security Council (NSC) Act 2016 tabled in the Dewan Rakyat today is to prevent the prime minister from using his powers in declaring a certain area as a security zone, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“And if somebody who is arrested (in the security zone) dies, there will be no inquiry. So it gives the prime minister the power over life and death of the people. This is terrible, the prime minister should not have that power. The power should go to the King. At least there are certain barriers erected,” the prime minister told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
The proposed amendments to the Act tabled for the first reading at the Dewan Rakyat today seeks to give the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah the power to declare any area in Malaysia as a ‘security zone’.
Under the existing NSC Act, this authority is given to the Prime Minister. — Bernama
