Chow Kon Yeow says no plan to amend the two-term cap for chief minister, upholding Penang’s 2018 constitutional reform
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state government has no plans to amend the Chief Minister’s term limit from two terms to 10 years.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the existing provisions in the state constitution are already clear regarding the term limit for the position.
He referred to Article 7, Clause 2(a) of the Penang State Constitution, which stipulates that the Yang Dipertua Negeri shall appoint a State Legislative Assembly member as Chief Minister, provided that the individual commands majority confidence and has never held the position for two terms.
“If the State Legislative Assembly is dissolved before a term reaches its full five years, the term ‘two terms’ should be understood as the cumulative total of years served in the first and second terms.
“That total may be less than 10 years, but it must not exceed 10 years,” he explained at the State Legislative Assembly sitting today.
Chow was responding to a question from Lee Khai Loon (PH-Machang Bubuk) on whether the state government is prepared to amend the Chief Minister’s term limit to 10 years.
He noted that Article 19, Clause 3 of the Penang State Constitution also provides that the State Legislative Assembly shall run for five years from the date of its first sitting, unless dissolved earlier.
“The state government is of the view that the current interpretation of the two-term limit is sufficient and does not require any amendment for now,” Chow said.
Penang is the first state in Malaysia to officially limit the Chief Minister’s term to two terms, following an amendment to the state constitution passed in November 2018 to strengthen political governance.
