In a significant move toward institutional reform, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Monday that his government will introduce legislation this year to limit the premiership to a maximum of 10 years, or two full terms.

Addressing civil servants and ministers, Anwar emphasized the importance of leadership renewal, stating that everyone should have a term limit to allow the next generation to lead.

The proposal aims to address the lack of tenure limits in Malaysia's current system, which famously allowed Mahathir Mohamad to serve for 22 years in his first stint.

Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan coalition had previously committed to this reform in its 2022 election manifesto as a safeguard against the over-concentration of power.

Beyond term limits, Anwar unveiled a suite of transparency measures, including the introduction of a Freedom of Information Bill and the establishment of an ombudsman’s office. These initiatives are designed to hold everyone—from the prime minister down—accountable to the public.

This announcement follows a major legal development last month, where the Malaysian High Court sentenced former Prime Minister Najib Razak to an additional 15 years in prison for abuse of power and money laundering related to the 1MDB scandal.

This new sentence will be served following his current six-year term, further highlighting the government's ongoing anti-corruption drive.

Source: AFP