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THE government will re-table the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026 to limit the term of office of the Prime Minister to 10 years at the Dewan Rakyat sitting this June.
Unity Government spokesman Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the matter was decided at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today.
"The Cabinet today decided that the Bill in question will be brought (for tabling) again at the next (Dewan Rakyat) meeting, around June.
"We hope and will strive to ensure that government Members of Parliament give their full support, attend and vote to approve this very important Constitutional amendment," he said at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting today.
On Tuesday, the Dewan Rakyat failed to pass the Bill after it did not secure the required two-thirds majority support.
Fahmi, who is also the Minister of Communications, said the Cabinet was also briefed by the government's Chief Whip, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, on the status of eight government MPs who were not in the chamber during the voting process.
"As media friends know, on the Pakatan Harapan side, the attendance of MPs was 100 per cent. The eight MPs (who were absent) have been identified," he said.
In addition, he said the Cabinet was informed of a misunderstanding that may have occurred among several opposition MPs.
He said some thought the vote on that day was to give Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim a 10-year term as Prime Minister.
"The matter was informed to the Cabinet, and it was emphasised that the amendment was intended to ensure that there would be no situation where a Prime Minister could feel that he could rule indefinitely.
"So, the government hopes that at the next session, the opposition can come together to support the constitutional amendment, which is deemed non-partisan and beneficial to the country's democracy," he said.
Asked whether action would be taken against the eight Members of Parliament involved, Fahmi said that two of them had officially written to provide information and clarification to the government's Chief Whip.
"So, we are waiting for the other six," he said. – March 4, 2026
