The Malaysian Parliament (BT)
Malaysia’s lower house of parliament on February 2 narrowly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have limited the Prime Minister (PM) tenure to two terms, after the bill fell two votes short of the required two-thirds majority. A total of 146 lawmakers voted in favour, while 44 abstained and 32 were absent. The amendment, part of PM Anwar Ibrahim’s reform agenda, sought to cap any individual’s tenure as PM at 10 years.
Law Minister Azalina Othman Said rejected opposition claims that the proposal would undermine the authority of the monarch, who constitutionally appoints the prime minister, arguing instead that it would strengthen institutional integrity by preventing a prolonged concentration of executive power. The setback comes amid growing criticism over the pace of reforms promised by Anwar’s government since taking office in 2022.
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