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21h ago

Malaysia’s 10-Year Cap on Prime Minister’s Tenure Fails by Two Votes in Parliament

The narrow miss exposes shaky vote discipline, compelling the government to reintroduce a revised bill.

Malaysia's Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, holds the 2026 national budget document at the Finance Ministry building as he departs for Parliament to table the budget, in Putrajaya, Malaysia, October 10, 2025. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain/File Photo
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Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said any new law to limit the premiership to two terms would apply to him first
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Overview

  • The lower house recorded 146 votes in favor, two short of the 148 needed for a constitutional amendment, with 44 abstentions and 32 absentees.
  • Prominent absentees included UMNO’s Hishammuddin Hussein, MIC deputy president M. Saravanan, and Sabah STAR president Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, according to The Straits Times.
  • Law Minister Azalina Othman Said argued a 10-year limit would prevent excessive concentration of power, while lawmakers raised concerns about calculating terms and the monarch’s appointment prerogative.
  • A constitutional lawyer said the government must revise and reintroduce the bill at a future sitting if it wants to proceed.
  • Parliament shifted to related reforms, with the bill to separate the attorney general and public prosecutor sent to a bipartisan committee for revisions on March 3.