PKR MP supports PM term limit, urges separation of finance role

SHAH ALAM - The government’s proposal to limit the tenure of the Prime Minister reflects the aspirations of the people who want a more balanced system of governance, free from any form of abuse of power.

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said that the reforms the government wishes to implement should be supported by all parties to ensure the country’s administrative system becomes more transparent.

“I fully support and am pleased with the government’s intention. This is a good reform. Take the United States (US) as an example, the President there can only serve two terms.

“So, if this actually happens, it could be historic for Malaysia. This effort is a good one and I very much welcome it,” he told Sinar.

Following the government’s efforts to limit the tenure of the country’s top leader, Hassan, who is also a PKR representative, suggested another reform: banning the Prime Minister from holding the Finance Minister portfolio.

He said this action would not require an amendment to the Federal Constitution but could be implemented simply as a matter of convention.

“We need to learn from the scandal that shocked not just the country but the world, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), because at that time, the Prime Minister also held the Finance Minister position.

“So, it would be good to implement this before the General Election (GE) so that after the election, the new government will adhere to this convention, which does not allow the Prime Minister to hold the Finance Minister portfolio,” he said.

He added that it is time for this to be enforced to ensure that the controversies surrounding 1MDB do not recur in the future.