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THE PROPOSAL to impose a 10-year limit on the tenure of the Malaysian prime minister has sparked mixed reactions among political figures, with some voicing strong support while others question its necessity.
Parti Amanah Nasional’s deputy president, Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, stated that the idea to limit the prime minister’s term had been discussed long before Pakatan Harapan assumed power.
He argued that the proposal must be driven by clear and sincere objectives to ensure its success.
“The five-year term must be a full five years. This means that if there are two terms, it should be a complete 10 years,” he explained.
He argued that a 10-year tenure would allow the prime minister to remain focused on governance.
“One term alone is not realistic. In the first term, new policies are introduced, and their effects can only be felt in the subsequent term,” the New Straits Times cited Mujahid saying.
He also emphasised that a fixed tenure would prevent the abuse of power.
“There must be a limit, so the people know that the tenure is fixed. This prevents any misuse of power or abuse of position,” he remarked, quoting the well-known saying, "Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Subang MP Wong Chen, who is a member of the PKR Central Leadership Council, also expressed his support for the proposal.
He said that a 10-year limit would help ensure better governance and prevent the rise of authoritarianism.
“I prefer a 10-year limit as opposed to a two-term limit, as it provides greater certainty about the timing,” Wong stated, adding that it would avoid the ambiguity that comes with a two-term limit, particularly regarding consecutive terms.
“Our country needs clear rules,” Wong added.
Meanwhile, Jelebu MP Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias, an Umno Supreme Council member, called for the implementation of term limits as soon as possible.
“This is a change that needs to be made now,” he declared, expressing confidence that a majority of MPs would support the proposal when it is brought to the Dewan Rakyat.
Jalaluddin also suggested that term limits should be extended to the state level, further broadening the scope of the reform.
However, Pasir Gudang MP and government backbencher Hassan Karim questioned the need for a term limit, noting that Malaysia follows the Westminster parliamentary system rather than a presidential model.
“The position is prime minister, not president,” he said, pointing out that a president is directly elected by the people, whereas a prime minister is an MP chosen through a different mechanism.
Hassan argued that more pressing reforms should take priority, such as preventing the prime minister from simultaneously holding the finance minister portfolio.
“Even with a 10-year limit, damage can still occur,” he cautioned, referencing past leaders such as Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, both of whom served as finance ministers while leading the government.
Echoing concerns over the proposed 10-year limit, Pas deputy president and Kubang Kerian MP Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man suggested a longer tenure might be more appropriate.
“For fairness, term limits are necessary, but 10 years may not be ideal. A more appropriate duration would be 15 to 20 years, depending on the leadership capability,” he proposed.
Tuan Ibrahim highlighted that countries with term limits sometimes lose highly capable leaders due to the constraints. He cited examples such as Joko Widodo in Indonesia, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran, and even Barack Obama in the United States, who all had to step down despite still having the ability to lead.
However, he acknowledged that some leaders refuse to step down despite failing to govern effectively, remaining in power due to electoral victories, even amid ethical controversies.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed his support for DAP's proposal to limit the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years. He noted that any reform of this nature would require a two-thirds consensus from all political parties in order to move forward. – March 16, 2025
