PUTRAJAYA: A meeting of all political party leaders will be convened to discuss a Bill to cap the Prime Minister’s tenure at a maximum of 10 years or two full terms, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said the meeting will have to be held soon as the Bill is expected to be tabled in this Parliamentary session.
“I have to meet all the party leaders so that we can get more than a two-thirds majority,” she told reporters.
Azalina clarified that the Bill would not apply to the positions of chief minister or mentri besar.
“On the proposed two-term limit for the prime minister, extensive studies have already been conducted,” she said.
She said the proposal to fix a two-term limit on the prime minister’s tenure will be among a new wave of legal and institutional reforms which Malaysia will see in 2026, describing the move as a critical step towards strengthening accountability at the federal level.
Azalina added that the Dewan Rakyat sitting beginning Jan 19 would be pivotal, with several major reforms to be pursued through constitutional amendments and legislation, as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Three other Bills will also be tabled this year – the separation of the roles of the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor, the establishment of an Ombudsman, and Freedom of Information (FOI).
Azalina said all four Bills will be tabled in February, following the debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address, adding these Bills will steer the nation towards strengthening genuine accountability and public trust.
On claims that such reforms were not “bread and butter” issues, the minister said transparency and access to information were core values in the digital age, where information circulate rapidly and may not always be accurate.
“A government that remains closed risks being perceived as hiding something,” she said.
She pointed to Penang, Selangor and Sarawak which have already established ombudsman mechanisms.
Azalina also cited last year’s Parliamentary Services Act, which restored Parliament’s independence from executive control, and said further efforts would be made to strengthen its implementation under Parliament’s jurisdiction.
“The journey to reach this stage required extensive discussion and continuous refinement,” she said, expressing hope that 2026 would mark significant progress and achievements in legal and institutional reforms.
