Hamzah says opposition not to blame for PM term limit bill failure; absentee government MPs caused it to fall short in Dewan Rakyat.
PETALING JAYA: The opposition today hit back at claims that it was responsible for the failure of the Prime Minister’s term limit bill in Parliament yesterday, stressing that the onus lay with government MPs who did not vote.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the bill, which proposes a ten-year cap on the Prime Minister’s tenure, was not rejected by the opposition but effectively stalled due to abstentions and absences among ruling party lawmakers.
“If you look at our speeches in the Dewan, we supported the principle of the bill – but with conditions. When those conditions were ignored, we chose to abstain. That is not a rejection,” he said at a press conference in Parliament today.
Hamzah also addressed criticism that opposition MPs were “obstructing” government legislation.
“Why blame us? The government has the numbers – 154 MPs. It is their responsibility to ensure attendance and votes, not to point fingers at those who abstain,” he said, stressing that proper planning and coordination could have ensured the bill’s passage.
He advised that if the government seeks to pass a law requiring a two-thirds majority, it must individually check on each MP’s presence.
“Are you here? Are you sick? Are you in the hospital? Stuck in traffic? All of these must be considered. If someone is delayed, we can send a note to inform the relevant minister,” he said.
Hamzah warned against overconfidence, saying arrogance could lead to failure.
“The government has the resources to defend its motions. Don’t blame an abstaining opposition. Issues like yesterday can be avoided with simple planning,” he said.
He added that the opposition remains committed to supporting legislation that benefits the country but will not be unfairly blamed for government shortcomings.
Yesterday, a bid to cap the tenure of Malaysia’s prime minister at 10 years fell short in the Dewan Rakyat, missing the required two-thirds majority by just two votes.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026, tabled for its second reading by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, received 146 votes in favour, with 44 MPs voting against and 32 absent—leaving it short of the threshold required to amend the Federal Constitution.
Announcing the results, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said the tally did not meet the two-thirds majority, a declaration met with cheers and applause from Opposition MPs.
The Sun Malaysia
