DAP MP cries treason after NSC law bulldozed without royal assent

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DAP's Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng has cried treason after the government ignored the Conference of Rulers's call to revise the National Security Council (NSC) Bill 2016, which formally became law after it was published in the national gazette on Tuesday.

"The National Security Council Act is a Treason Act, which was passed without taking into account the decree of the Conference of Rulers for it to be refined.

"This Treason Act was passed without the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong's assent.

"This Act is a symbol of Umno's treason which has stolen the powers of the Malay rulers," he said in a statement today.

According to the published gazette, the Bill was declared to have been assented on February 18, a day after the Conference of Rulers expressed concern and asked that the law be refined.

The assent was based on Clause 4A of Article 66 of the Federal Constitution.

The provision allows for any bill to automatically receive assent if the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong does not do so within 30 days from when it is presented to him.

Malaysiakini contacted de facto law minister Nancy Shukri on the matter and is awaiting for response.

The NSC Bill had been criticised as it would grant the council, headed by the prime ministers, emergency-like powers.

Lim questioned if Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had responded to the Conference of Rulers over their concerns.

"The people deserve to know whether the BN government accepted or rejected the Conference of Rulers' advice when the NSC Act became law without royal assent.

Lim noted that the NSC Act would also allow the council, which comprises members appointed by the prime minister, to deploy the armed forces.

He said this went against the the concept of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong as the head of the armed forces.

"The 'Umno' NSC can exercise emergency powers without a declaration by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong or the approval of Parliament.

"If there are those who are killed in the operations ordered by the 'Umno' NSC, no investigation is required," he said.

Lim urged voters in the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections to take cognisance of this development when casting their votes on June 18.