Opposition MPs thought PM term limit bill was to give Anwar 10 years in office - Fahmi

 

The government today blamed a supposed confusion among opposition MPs as a reason they did not back its reform bill on Monday, which aims to limit the prime minister's term to 10 years.

According to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, several opposition lawmakers had allegedly misunderstood the bill as a proposal to allow Anwar Ibrahim to remain in office for up to 10 years instead.

"The cabinet was given a briefing today about a misunderstanding among opposition MPs.

"Some of them had told one of our ministers that they thought the voting process on that day was intended to give Anwar 10 years as prime minister.

"We were also puzzled about how the opposition could have such confusion, because every MP should have understood this effort is aimed at preventing a situation where a prime minister thinks he can do anything because he can remain in power forever," the government spokesperson told a press conference in Putrajaya this afternoon.

Fahmi (above), however, did not reveal which opposition MPs had supposedly misunderstood the term limit bill, which requires a constitutional amendment and can only be passed with the support of at least two-thirds of the Dewan Rakyat's 222 members.

Bill falls short

The proposal had faltered during its second reading on Monday after only 146 MPs voted in support, falling just two votes short of the two-thirds majority (148) required.

For the record, the government has the support of 154 MPs, more than enough to pass the bill even without any support from the opposition.

However, eight of its lawmakers were absent during the voting process, while the opposition has previously stated they would abstain from voting unless Putrajaya introduce some amendments to the bill.

"So, I hope in the next Parliament session, the opposition would come together with the government to approve this bill, which is a bipartisan proposal that would only benefit our country's democracy," Fahmi added.

Asked whether the government plans to take action against its lawmakers who failed to turn up for the voting, Fahmi said that would be up to the prime minister if he wants to.

Fahmi added that two of the MPs have already written to Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof, who is the government's chief whip, to explain their absence.

"So now we wait for the six others (to explain)," he said. - Mkini