PETALING JAYA: A proposed 10-year limit on the prime minister’s tenure and a change in seating arrangements for Bersatu MPs are among the key developments as Parliament reconvenes tomorrow for the second meeting of the 15th Parliament’s fifth and final term.
Lawmakers are expected to revisit two major constitutional reform Bills – one to cap the prime minister’s tenure at 10 years and another to separate the roles of the Attorney General and the Public Prosecutor.
Universiti Teknologi Mara senior political science lecturer Mujibu Abd Muis said the likelihood of bipartisan support appears higher than before, as the proposal has long been framed as an institutional reform rather than a partisan initiative.
“A 10-year term limit is consistent with broader efforts to strengthen democratic accountability, prevent excessive concentration of power and improve public confidence in political institutions,” he said when contacted.
However, he said it was still premature to tell whether the Bills would receive support from both sides.
“While many parties may agree with the principle, disagreements could arise over the constitutional mechanism, implementation timeline and potential implications for future political leadership.
“Ultimately, the debate is likely to be less about the idea itself and more about its political and constitutional implications.”
For government parties, Mujibu said supporting the term-limit proposal reinforces their reformist credentials and demonstrates commitment to institutional change.
But for Opposition MPs, he said there may be a dilemma: supporting the Bill aligns them with democratic reform, but it could also limit future leaders from their own parties should they return to power.
Negotiations may even extend beyond the principle of term limits to include questions on implementation, transitional arrangements and whether other institutional reforms should accompany the amendment, he said.
The meeting, which runs until July 16, will see changes to the seating arrangements of Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Pagoh) and vice-president Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (Putrajaya).
According to the updated seating chart on Parliament’s website, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin will return to the conventional slot reserved for the Opposition Leader.
This came about after Hamzah – the former Bersatu deputy president – was made Opposition Leader again by PAS last week.
He had lost the post when Bersatu expelled him in February.
Hamzah will sit next to Perikatan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, who will have PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang on his left.
Muhyiddin has been moved eight seats from his previous position.
Indera Mahkota MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, who was previously sacked from Bersatu and is now aligned with Hamzah’s Parti Wawasan Negara, said Hamzah’s reappointment was supported by all of PAS’ 43 MPs and the 19 MPs who are backing Hamzah.
Mujibu said the seating rearrangement should be viewed as a political signal rather than merely an administrative matter.
“In parliamentary systems, seating arrangements carry symbolic value because they visually communicate political relationships, hierarchy, cohesion and bloc identity.
“Parties that wish to project unity generally prefer to be seen operating as a coherent parliamentary grouping.
“From that perspective, the seat relocation of Bersatu MPs may indicate that the political distance between PAS and Bersatu is becoming more institutionalised,” he added.
The 16-day meeting is also expected to focus on the impact of the global energy supply crisis on the country following the Middle East conflict.
Other Bills of note are the Cybercrime Bill, which focusses on cybercrime threats, and amendments to the Road Transport Act to firm up measures against illegal street racing, among others.
