By Media Selangor Team
SHAH ALAM, March 3 — The failure to pass the constitutional amendment bill to limit the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years reflected the opposition’s decision to place political interests above national interest, said Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari.
This is after 44 opposition MPs abstained from voting, while 32 others were absent, including government lawmakers. The bill secured 146 votes, narrowly missing the 148 votes needed to amend the constitution.
Amirudin, who is Gombak MP, said that although all 31 Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan) MPs had supported the bill, the reform effort could not be carried through single-handedly and requires a collective responsibility.
"Yesterday, we may have lost a golden opportunity to realise the people’s mandate by just two votes, but the outcome also showed that no MP rejected the proposal to limit the prime minister’s tenure.
"Perikatan Nasional (PN) demonstrated that they do not yet have the courage to place national interest above political considerations," he said in a statement today.
The Keadilan vice-president added that yesterday's event should serve as a reminder to all parties within the government that every MP must not neglect their fundamental responsibilities.
"We should not allow a single incident to dampen the spirit of the reform agenda for the good of the people and the nation we love."
Yesterday, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026, which sought to limit the prime minister’s term of office to 10 years, failed to secure a two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat, delivering a huge blow to the MADANI government’s reform efforts.
Despite the setback, Amirudin commended Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for making history by tabling the bill in Parliament.
"This bold move marks the first time that any prime minister or party president has brought such a proposal to the Dewan Rakyat, reflecting both his and Keadilan's commitment to reform."
