Amirudin hails Anwar for taking ‘bold step’, says limiting PM tenure a collective reform effort, missed by just two votes

KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 — Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari has hailed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for taking what he described as a “bold step” in advancing institutional reforms in Malaysia by proposing a constitutional amendment to limit the tenure of the Prime Minister to a maximum of 10 years.

Amirudin — who also serves as vice-president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Member of Parliament for Gombak — released a statement today emphasizing that the move to limit the length of prime ministerial service demonstrated strong political will to strengthen democratic governance and accountability.

The constitutional amendment was tabled under the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026, which sought to introduce a new clause that would cap the Prime Minister’s tenure at 10 aggregate years, whether served consecutively or not. The proposal was part of a broader reform agenda by the Madani government aimed at strengthening institutional checks and balances and preventing excessive concentration of executive power.

Prime Minister Anwar himself has repeatedly clarified in Parliament that the amendment will not diminish the prerogative powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King) nor undermine the foundations of parliamentary democracy. He said the change would not affect the Dewan Rakyat’s authority to determine confidence in the government, asserting that the proposal strengthened constitutional structures rather than weakened them.

During the crucial vote in the Dewan Rakyat, all 31 PKR MPs supported the amendment, and were recorded among 146 lawmakers in favor of the bill. However, the measure fell short of the two-thirds majority required to amend the Federal Constitution by just two votes. A total of 32 MPs were absent from the session, and 44 opposition MPs chose to abstain rather than vote against or in favor.

Amirudin described the outcome as a reminder that constitutional reform cannot be achieved by one party alone, and stressed that the near-success of the amendment reflected how difficult consensus building can be in a diverse political environment. “While we may have missed a golden opportunity by just two votes, it is also encouraging that no MP rejected the principle of limiting the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years,” he said, pointing to broad parliamentary support for the idea even if the technical threshold for constitutional change was not met.

Despite the setback, supporters of the reform have framed the initiative as part of Malaysia’s long-term democratic development, aiming to ensure leadership renewal, strengthen public trust, and prevent the risks associated with prolonged years in office. Prime Minister Anwar had argued that such a limit would help ensure orderly leadership transitions in line with international democratic practices and did not conflict with the constitutional role of the monarchy or Parliament.

Critics, particularly from some opposition quarters, had raised concerns that the amendment could affect the King’s appointment powers or disrupt parliamentary confidence mechanisms, though government legal experts and civil society watchdogs countered that the proposal was carefully drafted within constitutional bounds and did not infringe on protected constitutional prerogatives.

In his statement, Amirudin also criticised certain lawmakers for abstaining or being absent, suggesting that political interests were placed above national reform priorities. He urged all elected representatives to remain mindful of their duty to Malaysians and to continue efforts toward meaningful reforms that benefit the nation in the long run.

Looking ahead, the government has indicated that it will continue to pursue other institutional reforms, including proposals to separate the roles of the Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor to enhance legal independence — another reform initiative currently under parliamentary consideration