Malaysian PM to introduce 10-year term limit for Prime Minister – Firstpost

The Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim on Monday said that he would introduce legislation this year to limit the term of Prime Minister to 10 years, including a two-term limit and fulfilling one of his campaign promises.

During a cabinet meeting with ministers and civil servants, Anwar cautioned that “everyone has a term limit” without exception.  

“We will table a bill to limit the term of the prime minister, not exceeding 10 years or two full terms,” Anwar said in a special New Year’s announcement.

“After serving the term, it is better for us to hand it over to the next generation”, he added.

There is currently no term limit in Malaysia for Prime Ministers. Former PM Mahathir Mohamad was in power for 22 years during his first tenure until he stepped down in 2003.  

He said a bill to separate the attorney-general’s role as the government’s top legal adviser from the function of leading public prosecutor will also be tabled when parliament reconvenes for its first sitting of the year this month.

Anwar did not say when the term limits bill would be filed. Parliament will hold its first session of the year this month.

Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) coalition pledged in its 2022 election manifesto to limit the prime minister’s tenure to two terms.

Separately, Anwar also announced the government would also introduce a freedom of information bill in parliament, along with legislation to set up the office of an ombudsman to strengthen the fight against corruption.

“The ombudsman … allows the people to raise any issues because without exception, from the prime minister downwards, everyone must be accountable and open to be questioned,” Anwar said.

Last month, Malaysia’s High Court sentenced former Prime Minister Najib Razak to 15 more years in jail after convicting him of abuse of power and money laundering in the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund graft scandal.

When Mahathir came out of retirement to lead a disparate opposition coalition that ousted the graft-tainted government of then prime minister Najib Razak in the 2018 elections.

He became the world’s oldest serving prime minister when he was sworn in again as Malaysia’s leader at age 92 that year.