AS the government is considering limiting the prime minister’s term to 10 years, it should also think about similar restrictions for other public officeholders at federal and state levels. This would allow more suitably qualified candidates to get elected.  

New blood bring fresh suggestions. Malaysians are tired of looking at the same old faces with stale ideas in parliament or any state assembly. The best way to deal with politicians who stubbornly refuse to retire is to limit their term of office.  

Ever since its independence in 1957, Malaysia has practised parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy. The Dewan Rakyat has 222 members, each one representing a parliamentary constituency. A general election is held every five years to elect these MPs.  

Parties with the most elected members can form the federal government. The same process applies to state assemblies. The Federal Constitution mentions that a person can be disqualified when the following circumstances happen: (a) He is, or has been found or declared to be of unsound mind; (b) he is an undischarged bankrupt; (c) he holds an office of profit; (d) having been nominated for election to either parliament or to a state legislative assembly, or having acted as election agent to a person so nominated, he has failed to lodge any return of election expenses required by law within the time and in the manner so required; (e) he has been convicted of an offence by a court of law in the Federation and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or to a fine of not less than two thousand ringgit and has not received a free pardon; or (f) he has voluntarily acquired citizenship of, or exercised rights of citizenship in any country outside the Federation or has made a declaration of allegiance to any country outside the Federation.  

There is no term limit for public officeholders under the Federal Constitution, state constitutions, or any other existing law in the country. The only way to do this is to modify existing laws. Since the above suggestion would require many amendments, the government should form a special committee consisting of constitutional and legal experts to look into it. – July 31, 2024. 

* Muzaffar Syah Mallow is associate professor at University Sains Islam Malaysia Faculty of Shariah and Law.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.