The Malaysian Insight

THE successful passage of a bill to limit the prime minister’s term in office could help Pakatan Harapan regain lost support, said political analysts.

Political analyst Liew Wui Chern said it’s on the ruling coalition’s election manifesto to set a term limit for the head of government.

“PH has done much to irk voters but this could more or less restore the people’s faith,” Liew told The Malaysian Insight.

Arguments for forced rotation in the executive office are that it pre-empts a monopoly on power that could lead to a de facto dictatorship. It also acts as a check on the amassing of too much power by leaders, while curbing corruption and boosting democracy.

“There will also be less of a chance for unscrupulous civil servants to cosy up to particular personalities in order to curry favour.

“If a leader has been in office for too long, his thinking will be rigid,” Liew said, adding that such was the case with Dr Mahathir Mohamad who seemed  “stuck in his old ways”.

Assistant professor Dr Chin Chong Foh said term limits prevented corruption and abuse of power.

An unlimited term in office and the absence of checks and balances could lead to leaders wielding too much power (which allows them) to conceal corruption and wrongdoing, said Chen of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar).

“The principle of democracy is that leaders can be changed,” he said, adding that the people would not want to keep a corrupt leader in office.

Unfinished business

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong recently tabled a bill to amend the federal constitution to limit the prime minister’s tenure to two terms.

The second reading and debate at policy stage will take place at the Dewan Rakyat session next year.

Article 43(2) of the bill states that “through this amendment, a member of the house of representatives shall not be appointed prime minister if he has held the office of prime minister for two terms of parliament.”

Setting a term limit on the highest office has its drawbacks, however.

Liew said a constant changing leadership could disrupt development as national policies and strategies, such as the economic and education blueprints, often take many years to execute and reach maturity.

“If we change the leader every 10 years, the implementation of policies might be affected as each leader would have his own ideas,” he said.

Chen said a successor could always make repairs if the previous prime minister hadn’t done a good job.

He urged the government to clarify the mechanics of the proposed term limit.

“In theory, elections can be held every year if the prime minister deems them necessary and the Agong assents.

“There is no specific provision stating that elections must be held every five years.

“In that case, if two general elections were to be held in five years, would it mean that the PM, being limited to two terms, would serve only five years?”

He said it was also unreasonable to set the limit at 10 years unless the law was amended to allow a general election every five years only. – December 13, 2019.