PETALING JAYA: Putrajaya is studying a two-term limit for the post of prime minister, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
She said a preliminary report on the proposal had been presented to the Cabinet on March 19.
“The government is always open and committed to examining any proposal involving improvements to the country’s administrative and governance systems, including limiting the prime minister’s tenure to two parliamentary terms, or a maximum of 10 years.
“The Cabinet has acknowledged that this proposal involves amendments to the Federal Constitution and touches upon the discretionary powers of His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” she said in a parliamentary written reply to Hassan Abdul Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang).
Hassan had asked the government when it would table the amendment to the Constitution to limit the term of the prime minister.
Azalina said the amendment requires a thorough and holistic consideration as it includes obtaining the views and agreement of various stakeholders such as state governments and political parties at federal and state levels.
She said the matter is still under consideration by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had expressed support for a call by DAP to amend the Constitution to limit the tenure of the premier to 10 years, or two terms.
However, he said it was important to secure the support of all parties.
To date, only two of Malaysia’s 10 prime ministers have served for more than 10 years – the first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman (1955-1969) and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who holds the record as the longest-serving prime minister, with 22 years in office during his first tenure (1981-2003).
Setting a two-term limit for the prime minister has long been a pledge of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. In December 2019, the PH government led by Mahathir tabled a Bill to amend the Constitution and introduce the reform.
However, the Bill was withdrawn in August 2020 after a unanimous Cabinet decision made under the administration of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The proposal resurfaced in September 2021, when then-prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob agreed to introduce a 10-year limit in exchange for opposition support for his government.
A draft Bill was reportedly ready for tabling in February 2022, but it never materialised, as Parliament was dissolved in October that year ahead of the 15th general election.
