The National Security Council (NSC) bill is necessary in view and in the light of recent situations in peninsula Malaysia and in Sabah and not directed at Sarawak, said Sarawak state assembly speaker Awang Asfia Awang Nasar.

He said it was not correct that the bill was directed at Sarawak following the state government’s demands for greater autonomy, petroleum royalty and others.

“How could it be directed at Sarawak when we are the mainstay of Barisan Nasional... into the bedrock of Barisan Nasional and the bill is not at all directed at Sarawak,” Awang Asfia told reporters after a Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) pre-council meeting in Kuching yesterday.

“New situations are coming up internationally and to prevent this from coming to Malaysia we need the act but Sarawak is a very peaceful state... our political stability is based on racial harmony and that is the most solid legislated racial harmony,” he added.

He said the security in Sarawak was good thus there was no need for legislation in Sarawak to ensure racial harmony and peace.

“In Sarawak it is beyond legislation, it is built on a more solid substratum,” he added.

The bill, which was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, was to strengthen enforcement in comprehensively looking after the security of the people in the country.

On the pre-council meeting, Awang Asfia said it discussed the two bills to be tabled at the State assembly sitting from Dec 7 to 16 - supplementary supply bill and supply bill 2016, and also discussions on questions submitted by members of the House.

He said the opposition had also submitted 12 motions, among them are empowerment, devolution of power, education, university, Malaysian Agreement, public service and usage of English language.

“A number of the motions are actually the declared policies of the chief minister which they had turned into a motion,” said Awang Asfia.

- Bernama