Zahid passes buck to Nancy on NSC Bill controversy

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid has passed the buck to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri, to asnwer the controversy regarding the National Security Council (NSC) Bill which was passed without royal assent.

However Zahid and Nancy had on Friday declined to answer on this issue.

"You better ask Nancy because she knows about the NSC Bill," said Zahid who is the NSC deputy chairman, at a press conference in Kuala Kangsar today.

He added that media should ask her to answer, as she is empowered to, as befits her portfolio.
 

On Feb 17, the Conference of Rulers asked that the NSC Bill, which would give the National Security Council headed by the prime minister emergency-like powers, be refined.
 

However, according to the national gazette, the NSC Bill was automatically granted assent the following day, on Feb 18, under Article 66(4A) of the Federal Constitution.

 

The provision grants automatic assent to any legislation if the Yang di-Pertuan Agong does not provide his assent within 30 days from when a legislation is presented to him.
 

The bill was gazetted into law on Tuesday, although an enforcement date has yet to be set.

 

Meanwhile, Zahid said that BN will meet on PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's Private Member's Bill after by-election.

 

He was asked to confirm Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong's claim that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had promised a BN consensus in hudud issues before the October sitting.

-Mkini