Not a single Barisan Nasional senator was present at a planned briefing on the National Security Council Bill that was held in the Parliament building today.

National Human Rights Society (Hakam) president Ambiga Sreenivasan said the absence of all the 55 BN senators was a sign that they were afraid to face the rakyat.

"When you really want to do your job, and you believe in the oath you have taken, you have to listen to all points of views, whether you like it or not.

"We were ready to face them. Why are they afraid to face the rakyat?" Ambiga said at a press conference after the briefing that took more than an hour.

The briefing, which started at noon, was organised by a coalition of civil society groups under the #TakNakDiktator campaign.

"Why can't senators see the dangers that we see? At the very least, explain to us why they don't see the dangers," said Ambiga who described their absence as a "tragedy" for Malaysia.

She added that the #TakNakDiktator coalition is also willing to hold a second briefing for the BN senators anytime this week, before the Bill comes up for debate.

"Hear us out and understand what you are doing. That is all we ask," she stressed.

PKR Senator Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail ( photo ) turned the tables on several BN senators who had reportedly told the Opposition senators that they should first study the Bill before opposing it.

"We were told to scrutinise the Bill before rejecting it. All six Opposition senators are here today.

"Now we are asking the same thing from BN senators. Understand what the NGOs have raised before supporting the bill," Siti Aishah said.

Earlier today, online news portal The Malaysian Insider quoted Umno Senator Khairuddin Abd Samad as saying that while those opposing the bill have a right to voice their views, it would not be fair for the senators to decide based only on their arguments.

It is understood that not only were the BN senators absent from the briefing, none of them even acknowledged the invitation sent.

'Difficult but necessary battle'

PKR Senator Syed Hussein Ali said it would be a difficult "battle" to block the NSC Bill from being passed by the Senate.

"I received letters and messages from members of the public who raised concerns over the bill.

"My term as senator will end the day after tomorrow (Thursday) but the fight must go on," Syed Hussein said.

The #TakNakDiktator campaign was started by rights and civil society groups, including Amnesty International Malaysia, Lawyers for Liberty, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and Hakam.

More than 22,000 supporters have also signed a petition at change.org , urging the Dewan Negara to veto the NSC Bill and return it for further review.

There have also been individual efforts to write to and send email to the senators, personally asking them to reject the bill.