A LIMIT of two terms is sufficient time for the country’s prime minister to formulate and carry out his policies while also curbing the powers of the executive over other branches of government, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dr Mahathir, who was Malaysia’s longest-serving leader until his retirement in 2003, said the term limit was necessary to curb corruption.

“I was the longest-serving, but now we cannot have anybody wanting to do better than me,” Dr Mahathir told reporters in jest after a Pakatan Harapan (PH) meeting today.

Two terms is plenty time for a prime minister to formulate policy plans and see that the plans are carried out, he said.

“We can only allow them to serve for two terms. One term is too short. Some countries require one term, but that is too short to do anything,” Dr Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years, said.

“You become prime minister, you learn the ropes.

“Second year, you start to think about policy changes, more on foreign policy, et cetera. Third year you begin to try to implement (your policies). Fourth year, you’re already worried about the next election.

“So the next election, somebody else takes over, you don’t have a chance to have your plans carried out,” Dr Mahathir said.

“We have certain programmes to change the government. Not just by changing the government, but changing the structure itself.”

Dr Mahathir, who chaired the PH meeting, which was attended by Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, Johor DAP chief Liew Ching Tong and PH secretary-general Saifuddin Abdullah, said the coalition agreed to the term limit due to abuse allegedly done by Najib Razak.

“We find that Najib has excessively used his powers as prime minister. He has taken over the whole machinery of the government.

“There is no separation of powers between the legislative, executive and judiciary. All three branches are controlled by Najib. We must return to the separation of powers.

“At the same time, we don’t want a prime minister who stays there for too long. If you stay too long, there’s a possibility that you become corrupt. I don’t know if I am corrupt or not, but we find that (the longer a prime minister stays), the higher the chances of corruption.”

Dr Mahathir said such practices had been implemented at various levels of the government.

“For example, we limit the terms of Customs border officials. We find that the longer they stayed, (the likelihood increases that) they become friends with bad characters wishing to smuggle things across the border. So, we move them to another place. The same goes with the prime minister.”

Citing an example of abuse of power, whereby Najib appointed senior officers without consultation, the former prime minister said: “Sometimes, it is only the Agong who needs to sign, and then you have this incident whereby (former attorney-general) Abdul Gani Patail resigns and is replaced by Mohamed Apandi Ali.”

Dr Mahathir said it was part of government regulations for a medical board to certify whether Gani was fit to work, and whether he could retire.

“Notice that in the US, the secretary of state has to face Congress with politicians from both sides – opposition and the ruling government – present.”

He said should PH win, “we are going to allow the opposition to ascertain whether the candidate (for A-G) is good or not. We will put them in our manifesto”.

“There will be many reforms. Reducing the power of the prime minister, and also making sure candidates for high posts are properly vetted.”

He said should PH form the next government, there would be a bipartisan select committee in Parliament that would question the candidates. – January 23, 2018.