KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — How long do you think a prime minister should serve in Malaysia, and should the Cabinet remain or step down once a leader reaches the maximum limit for a PM?

If you have good ideas about the Malaysian government’s proposal to limit the maximum period for a prime minister’s tenure, you can freely express your views directly to the government through its online survey.

But hurry, as this public opinion survey will end on January 28 (this Wednesday).

The survey does not collect your name, and there are only eight short questions to answer.

On the survey page, you can select the language option of “Malay” or “English”.

The first page only requires you to answer four demographic questions for statistical purposes, covering your gender, age, level of education, and current employment status, such as private or public sector worker, student, housewife, or retiree.

So what are the eight questions?

Below is a simplified and paraphrased summary of the eight questions in the survey.

1. Whether you think there should be a maximum limit on the prime minister’s tenure.

2. How long the limit should be, such as a maximum of two terms, a maximum of 10 years, no limit, or another suggestion.

3. If there is a limit, whether it should be prospective or retrospective.

For example, if it is prospective and a 10-year limit is introduced, a hypothetical prime minister’s existing four years of service will not be counted, allowing the PM to serve for a maximum of another 10 years from the date the limit is introduced, resulting in a total of up to 14 years.

If it is retrospective and a 10-year limit is introduced, a hypothetical prime minister’s existing four years of service will be counted within the 10-year limit, meaning the PM can only serve for up to another six years.

4. Whether all the years a prime minister has ever served should be counted towards the maximum tenure limit, or whether the limit should apply only to consecutive service.

For example, if a prime minister has served for four years, stepped down for several months or years, and is later reappointed as PM, different interpretations would apply.

• If non-consecutive service is counted under a 10-year limit, the individual can only serve as PM for another six years, meaning the person can hold the post for a maximum of 10 years over their lifetime.
• If only consecutive service is counted under a 10-year limit, the previous four years would not be included, allowing the person to serve for another 10 years and potentially exceed 10 years in total over their lifetime.

5. What should happen if Parliament has not been dissolved, meaning there is no general election, but the prime minister has reached the maximum tenure?

Options include whether the PM should step down immediately, remain temporarily as an interim prime minister, or whether the decision should depend on factors such as proximity to Parliament’s dissolution, the timing of a general election, or political stability.

6. If the prime minister reaches the maximum tenure, whether the Cabinet should also resign or remain in place, whether this should be guided by the Federal Constitution or existing laws, or whether respondents are unsure.

7. Whether limiting the prime minister’s tenure would affect the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s discretionary power to appoint the prime minister.

8. What respondents consider to be the most important factor when deciding whether there should be a limit on how long a prime minister can serve.

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