THE Malaysian Bar is deeply concerned that, on April 9, the government tabled a Bill to further extend its expansive powers under the National Security Council Act 2016 (NSC Act). The NSC Act is of questionable Constitutional validity and violates the rule of law; further, the NSC Act avoids public scrutiny and proper accountability.
It bears restating that the Pakatan Harapan coalition pledged – in “Promise 27” of its election manifesto – to abolish laws that it described as “oppressive” and “tyrannical”, with the NSC Act being listed as one such law.