BILL TO LIMIT PM'S TENURE TO 10 YEARS TABLED FOR FIRST READING

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026, which seeks to limit the Prime Minister’s tenure to 10 years, was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.

According to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, the second reading is expected to take place next week.

The proposed legislation aims to amend Article 43 of the Federal Constitution by introducing a new Clause (2A), stipulating that a person appointed as Prime Minister under Article 43(2)(a) shall not at any time hold the office for periods amounting in the aggregate to more than ten years, either continuously or otherwise.

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The Bill also proposes new Clauses (4A) to (4D) under Article 43. Clause (4A) provides that the Prime Minister shall cease to hold office upon reaching the aggregate 10-year limit.

“For Clause (4B), if the Prime Minister ceases to hold office pursuant to Clause (4A), the members of the Cabinet shall cease to hold office,” the Bill states.

Clause 4C provides for continuity in government administration by allowing the Prime Minister and the Cabinet who have ceased to hold office to continue performing their functions until a new Prime Minister is appointed under Article 43(2)(a).

“The functions discharged by the Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet who have ceased to hold office under the new Clauses (4A) and (4B) of Article 43 are limited to ensure the day-to-day running of the administration of the Government until a new Prime Minister and Cabinet members are appointed,” the Bill read.

Meanwhile, the new Clause (4D) of Article 43 states that any period during which the person held the office of Prime Minister before the coming into operation of this provision shall be taken into account.

However, it also specifies that any period during which a person performs the functions of the Prime Minister following the dissolution of Parliament under Article 55(2) of the Federal Constitution shall not be included in the calculation.

Consequential amendments are also made to Clause (5) of Article 43 of the Federal Constitution following the insertion of the new Clauses (4A) and (4B) of Article 43 relating to the cessation of office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

-- BERNAMA