Dr M scorns new security council bill, warns of dictatorship

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad expressed his dislike for the National Security Council Bill as he thinks already there is too much power.

Mahathir further questioned and voiced his concern for the need for more (power).

"It is as if we will have a dictatorship," said the elder statesman.

Asked if Malaysia would return to colonial days when we had such repressive laws, he said, "Well, it looks like it."

"There was no democracy under the British, as we were ruled from London," he added.

Yesterday, it was reported that the government introduced the new NSC bill which provides extensive powers to deal with national security issues.

This includes declaring any area as a security area if the authorities are convinced that there is the likelihood of harm to people, territories, key infrastructure and the economy.

The NSC Bill 2015 will also provide special powers to security forces deployed to a security area.

It will also make the NSC the government's central authority for considering matters concerning national security.

A police state

If passed, the Act will also allow the prime minister to renew the declaration of the security area for another six months.

Meanwhile, Parti Amanah Negara legal chairperson and Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, in an immediate response, expressed concern over the need for such a law as it would move the nation towards becoming a police state.

“We have enhanced the Penal Code, we have the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 and Prevention of Crime Act, why is there a need for such a law?

“The new bill will give police to declare 'berkurung' (curfew) and give them arbitrary powers to make arrest without any warrant. It is very draconian and we question the need to have such repressive laws," he told Malaysiakini.

He added that the bill will be debated tomorrow, where Amanah MPs and hopefully the opposition would go against it.

Hanipa questioned the need for such powers to be concentrated in a selected few, namely the prime minister, deputy prime minister, the inspector-general of police and the defence minister.

It was also reported that DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang had called for the debate on the bill to be deferred to allow all quarters to give input as tomorrow is the last day for Parliament. -Mkini