In paying tribute to Razak, former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the former could have continued to rule through the National Operations Council (NOC) following the suspension of parliament in 1969.
Parliament was suspended at the time and an emergency rule was put in place following the May 13 racial riots.
However, Abdullah said Razak wanted to return power to parliament and give back democracy to the people as he believed a strong parliament would help the country achieve better success.
“After the establishment of the NOC, the process to return power back to parliament was Tun Abdul Razak’s best policy,” he said at a Special Commemorative Seminar on Tun Abdul Razak.
Today is the 40th anniversary of Razak’s passing.
Earlier, Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein also said that Razak could have ruled through the NOC but did not do so and instead led his government to victory in the 1974 elections.
The government’s recent tabling of the National Security Council (NSC) Bill has been criticised by politicians, legal groups and human rights activists.
Those opposing the NSC bill have voiced concerns that it would grant emergency-like powers to Prime Minister Najib Razak, the eldest of Razak’s children.