KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — A special Parliament session must be convened under Rule 11(3) of the Standing Orders of the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara to debate limiting the prime minister’s term of service to 10 years, if the proposal is to be implemented.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said provisions concerned must be debated as the amendment required an in-depth discussion and further decisions by the Cabinet.
“In the current scenario, if the proposal to limit the prime minister’s term of service to 10 years is implemented, it is suggested a comprehensive study, including an impact study, be conducted, taking into account views and feedback from stakeholders and the public.
“This is because it has implications for amendments to the Federal Constitution and requires a thorough policy decision,” she said in a written response in the Dewan Negara, published on the Parliament website today.
She was answering a question by Senator Abdul Nasir Idris about whether the government planned to limit the Prime Minister’s term to a maximum of 10 years.
Azalina said the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Prime Minister’s Department Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) are conducting engagement sessions with stakeholders, including with menteris besar and chief ministers, to avoid excessive power centralisation and ensure administrative transparency.
“So far, nine engagement sessions have been conducted, and a study and policy paper have been prepared by BHEUU on the matter, which also includes comparisons with other countries.
“The analysis of findings previously indicated the issue of policy questions is complex, particularly regarding the 10-year term, which is interlinked with the specific calculation of the Prime Minister’s tenure. The method of setting a two-term limit may be more appropriate, considering Malaysia’s political landscape,” she said.
Azalina also said that, in line with this matter, the government, on March 11, 2022, had considered a memorandum from the prime minister regarding the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022 on limiting the prime minister’s term to no more than 10 years, but had postponed the decision on the memorandum to allow for a more comprehensive review, especially concerning policy matters.
She said the Unity Government consistently welcomes improvements by pursuing continuous reform and strengthening governance, particularly to empower Parliament and the country’s political leadership for all Malaysians’ well-being.
— Bernama
