Dr M disagrees with PM term limit, says MPs can just pull support

Summary

• Former two-time prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad disagrees with a suggestion to limit the prime minister's time in office.

• Mahathir said 10 years is not enough time to implement good for the nation.

• He also highlighted that MPs can withdraw their support for a prime minister if he is underperforming.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has disagreed with the proposal to limit the prime minister’s time in office to only two terms.

Mahathir, who served as prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020, and who turns 100 in July, said a decade is not enough to implement successful progress.

He also highlighted that lawmakers have a responsibility to pull their support if they think the prime minister is doing more harm than good.

“I was prime minister for 22 years (but) there was still a lot of work I could have done which would have required more time,” Mahathir told reporters after a buka puasa event in Putrajaya today.

“If you reduce (a prime minister’s time in office), but they are not a good person, there’s a lot of damage that can be done to the nation.

“However, if they are a prime minister liked by the rakyat, then 10 years (in office) is not enough,” he added.

Previously, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hinted that he would not hold the post beyond two terms or a maximum of 10 years.

In a subtle jab at Mahathir, one of his fiercest critics, Anwar told the 18th National DAP Congress that a prime minister’s term reaching 22 years will “destroy the country”.

Meanwhile, Mahathir also said he previously was not opposed to continue helming the federal administration.

The country’s longest-serving prime minister said although he had sufficient support and there were no calls for him to step down, he opted to vacate the position to make way for younger candidates.

“We have to remember that the (prime minister) position has to be replaced by someone who is younger.

“They might not be known, but after they have taken over, if they do good things then they should be given time.

“If they do things detrimental to the nation, then support for them can be withdrawn (by MPs) after less than one term,” he added.

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