AN MCA leader has welcomed the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026 to limit the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years but reiterated that a prime minister should not simultaneously hold the finance minister portfolio.
Its vice president Datuk Lawrence Low said the separation of power is essential to prevent misappropriation and abuse of power.
“As proof of our party’s commitment, two MCA MPs were present and voted in support of the Bill,” Low said.
“Some have cynically suggested that this failure reflects the opposition’s desire for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to continue leading the country as prime minister without any fixed term limit.
“There may also be those who feel that such an amendment is unnecessary, as it would make it more difficult for former prime ministers to return to the highest office. This is because the Bill, if passed, would also apply to former prime ministers.”
Low reiterated that MCA welcomes this Bill, adding that the party was in fact among the earliest parties to implement such a reform.
“We had already passed amendments to our party constitution at our Annual General Assembly (AGM) to limit the president’s tenure to a maximum of three terms (nine years),” he remarked.
He said this step was taken to ensure orderly leadership renewal, encourage new talent, and prevent the monopoly of power within the party.
“In addition, in the spirit of administrative reform, MCA has consistently maintained that a prime minister should not concurrently hold the portfolio of finance minister,” Low continued.
“This separation of powers is crucial to addressing issues related to integrity, as well as preventing misappropriation and abuse of power.”
On Monday (March 2), the Dewan Rakyat had failed to pass the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026, which seeks to limit the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years, after it did not secure the required two-thirds majority support.
The bill only received 146 votes in favour, with 44 members abstaining and 32 absent. The bill requires a two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat to be passed.
Under this Bill, Article 43 of the Federal Constitution will be amended to introduce a 10-year limit on the prime minister’s tenure.
The proposed new Clause 2(a) stipulates that a prime minister shall not hold office for more than 10 years, whether consecutively or otherwise.
A new Clause (4b) provides that the Cabinet will be dissolved once the prime minister’s tenure ends.
Under Clause (4c), the outgoing prime minister and Cabinet may continue in a caretaker capacity with limited powers until a new government is formed.
The amendment also provides that any tenure served before the law comes into force will be counted towards the 10-year limit. ‒ Focus Malaysia
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