
Zulkifeli Mohd Zin (right), chief of Malaysia’s armed forces, stands next to King Abdul Mu’adzam Shah during an inspection of an honor guard on the king’s official birthday celebration, in Kuala Lumpur, June 8, 2013.
A decision allowing Malaysia’s military chief to run the newly set up National Security Council underscores the government’s seriousness in combating the terrorism threat, officials say, but some experts believe the move violates the constitution and could result in human rights and other abuses.
In a surprise announcement last week, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysian Armed Forces chief Zulkifeli Mohd Zin had taken over as National Security Council director-general as part of tough new security legislation that came into force about two weeks earlier.
Prime Minister Najib Razak, facing resignation calls after being linked to a multi-million dollar corruption scandal, had pushed the National Security Council Act through parliament in December. After legislative approval, the bill did not get the customary royal assent from Malaysia’s king, who had asked for some changes.
The legislation, among other objectives, enables the government to declare virtual martial law in areas deemed to be under “security threat.” Read more