As his comrades slug it out in Sarawak for the state’s coming polls in May, DAP Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu urge voters there to support the notion of term limit for the post of chief minister.

“Sarawakians have experienced what it is like to have no term limits for the post of chief minister, so they should be open-minded enough to demand that there should be term limits for the post,” Teh told Malaysiakini.

“Just as I proposed a term limit for the post of chief minister in Penang, I urge my comrades to also do the same in Sarawak,” he added.

“I know my own party comrades are not happy with what I say, but we should practise what we preach as this notion is in line with democratic principles,” Teh said.

Teh was referring to former Sarawak chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud who ruled the state from 1981 to 2014. He was replaced by current Chief Minister Adenan Satem.

The Election Commission (EC) has announced that nomination, advanced voting and polling dates would be April 25, May 3 and 7 respectively.

Last year, Teh found himself in hot water when he supported an Umno state legislative assembly motion to halt reclamation projects in Penang.

He resigned from his post as state DAP organising secretary and was not re-elected to the state committee during the party’s internal polls last year.

On March 31, Teh submitted to Penang state assembly speaker Law Choo Kiang a notice of motion for the amendment of the Penang state constitution to limit the Penang chief minister's term.

The move was to enable the constitution committee to study the motion before it is tabled in the next state assembly sitting.

Teh’s comrades were not thrilled, and the lone assemblyperson has been described as a maverick for suggesting such a notion against the popular Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Teh has raised the issue in previous state assembly proceedings and his move has been criticised by his own party comrades who believe Lim should be allowed to continue to rule Penang even after two terms.

On Nov 10, 2014, Teh had proposed for the rotation of the Penang chief minister's post and to limit the tenure to two terms in order to give other capable leaders a chance to serve.

However, the motion was rejected due to mixed reactions from the assemblypersons.