IPOH, March 17 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today urged critics of the proposal to limit the prime minister’s tenure to a maximum of 10 years to read his book Developing a Madani Nation instead of turning the issue into racial politics.
The prime minister’s senior press secretary, Tunku Nashrul Abaidah, said Anwar reminded MPs questioning the proposal to refer to page 181 of the book under the chapter Priority Policies for a Better Malaysia before making reckless criticisms.
“The prime minister reminded certain parties from the opposition bloc not to politicise this noble intention by turning it into narrow and shallow racial politics.
“Limiting the prime minister’s tenure is not a new idea. In fact, some of our neighbouring countries, such as Indonesia, have already implemented this approach.
“This is a step to ensure the continuity of a clean administration, a more structured system, and to prevent the centralisation of power that could potentially lead to corruption and abuse of power,” he said in a livestream today.
Tunku Nashrul said Anwar also suggested that the proposal be debated constructively and responsibly, taking into account future challenges.
“We encourage all parties to contribute their input towards creating a transparent and fair system,” he added.
Tunku Nashrul explained that Anwar sees the proposal as aligned with the vision and policy framework of reforms under his Building a Civilised Nation concept.
“The move to limit leadership tenure considers the current and future geopolitical landscape, which calls for fresh perspectives and a new generation of leadership.
“The spirit and nature of the prime minister’s position are clear as stipulated in the Federal Constitution. Limiting the tenure does not conflict with these fundamental principles.
“In fact, it is an important step towards ensuring the maturity of the nation’s democracy,” he said.
Separately, Tunku Nashrul said Anwar reiterated his call for continued cooperation and new synergy between the federal and state governments during his recent visits to Selangor, Perak, and Negeri Sembilan.
“The prime minister believes that a series of meetings and discussions between the two parties is crucial to updating and improving services for the people as a whole.
“Among the key focuses are infrastructure, education, healthcare, flood mitigation projects, and road maintenance, as well as several other issues that will continue to be monitored by the relevant agencies
