Anwar orders cabinet to study PM term limit

Summary

• Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim instructs the cabinet to study a proposal limiting the prime minister’s term to two terms.

• The proposal requires the Constitution to be amended, which in turn requires two-thirds support in Parliament.

• Pakatan Harapan parties are in agreement over the matter but PAS leaders are pushing back against the proposal.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has instructed the cabinet to study a proposal to limit the prime minister’s time in office to only two terms.

According to government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil, the prime minister conveyed the order at the cabinet meeting today.

“Anything involving constitutional amendments requires proper consideration.

“The prime minister has asked that (the proposal) be studied and analysed,” Fahmi told a press conference in Putrajaya today.

He added that while the proposal was addressed during the meeting, discussions on the matter remain in the initial stages due to complex processes.

On Sunday, when Anwar spoke at the 18th National DAP Congress, he expressed agreement with a proposal to limit the prime minister’s term to 10 years.

The Pakatan Harapan chairperson said while his party PKR and other Harapan components are in agreement on the matter, the government must still secure a two-thirds support in Parliament to pass the necessary constitutional amendments.

In response to the prime minister’s remark, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang earlier today claimed the suggested reform goes against God’s will.

Separation of judicial powers not discussed

Fahmi said today’s cabinet meeting did not discuss the move to separate the powers of the attorney-general and public prosecutor.

The communications minister told the media to direct their queries on the matter to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said.

On March 13, it was reported that Azalina was in London with a delegation to study the proposed separation of judicial powers.

She said then that the visit marked the final phase of the study.

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