UN concerned National Security Council Act gives Najib sweeping powers
The UN Human Rights Office for South East Asia (OHCHR)
said today it was concerned by the entry into force in Malaysia of the
National Security Council (NSC) Act which gives the prime minister
sweeping security powers and could restrict civil liberties.
The Act, which comes into effect on 1 August, establishes a National
Security Council to handle matters related to national security and will
be headed by Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Through the Act, the prime minister will have the power to declare,
upon the advice of the NSC, a “security area”, defined as being a
location “seriously disturbed or threatened by any person, matter or
thing which causes or is likely to cause serious harm to the people of
Malaysia, or serious harm to the territories, economy, national key
infrastructure of Malaysia or any other interest of Malaysia”.
The declaration is valid for up to six months, and can be renewed an infinite number of times.
Forces operating in a “security area” will be given sweeping powers,
including the capability to arrest and search persons, enter and search
premises, and seize property without a warrant. Furthermore, they will
be allowed to use force against persons, including force amounting to
death, as they deem reasonable and necessary in the circumstances “to
preserve national security”.
Moreover, the Act grants immunity to members of security forces and
personnel of other government entities for their acts in any “security
area”.
“These provisions run counter to the requirement to investigate
wrongdoing and hold institutions and their personnel accountable in the
case of human rights violations,” said Laurent Meillan, OHCHR’s acting
regional representative in Bangkok. “We are gravely concerned that the
immunity provisions in the Act may encourage human rights violations.”
Meillan expressed concern that the Act could also be used to impose
unjust restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of
assembly. “We call on the government to revise the Act to bring it in
line with international human rights norms and standards. Furthermore,
we encourage the Government to allow for an open and transparent
consultation process on the provisions in the Act with all relevant
stakeholders,” he said.
The National Security Council Bill 2015 was presented in Parliament
on 1 December 2015. It was passed by the Lower House on 3 December 2015
and the Upper House on 22 December 2015. - ALIRAN Website
No comments:
Post a Comment