Attorney-General Apandi Ali today said he will review some of the sections under the National Security Council Bill.

He told this to Sin Chew Daily after the Conference of Rulers said it would write to the prime minister to urge the government to review the bill which critics say could lead to dictatorship.

This comes as Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said that he "took note" of the rulers’ call for review of the bill.

Any changes to the bill, which was passed by Parliament on Dec 22, would mean that it would need to be re-tabled in Parliament, laywer Syahredzan Johan told Malaysiakini.

The federal constitution states that the bill needs to be presented to the Agong, and not the Conference of Rulers, he said.

It can be gazetted as law 30 days after it is presented to the Agong, even if the Agong does not expressly give his assent, he said.

Among others, the NSC Bill allows the chairperson of the National Security Council to declare an area a security zone and impose emergency-like conditions in that area, due to security reasons which he decides on.

The NSC chairperson is the prime minister.

Najib earlier defended the NSC as a much-needed step to face the rising threats of terrorism.