07/01/2026

WEDNESDAY | JAN 7, 2026

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‘PM tenure cap reflects modern politics’ o Proposal acknowledges shift in public perception towards prime ministers: Expert who served 13 years, and Mahathir, who served 22.

Hospital and expand to other hospitals under assessment, including Serdang, Sungai Buloh and Putrajaya,” he said, adding that regulatory compliance and operational agreements delayed rollout from the original end-2025 target. “We have completed what is required and are awaiting clearance from the Attorney-General’s Chambers. “The rollout is expected in the first quarter of this year, potentially as early as this month or February.” He added that workforce reform is also a priority, with a centralised HR dashboard to manage staff placement, promotions and attrition using real-time data. The ministry aims to fill 4,500 permanent doctor positions and 935 nursing posts in line with Budget 2026 announcements. He also said the reform agenda rests on four pillars: digitalisation, including the expansion of Electronic Medical Records and a National Lifetime Health Record; healthcare financing reforms, including value-based payments and closer public-private integration; human capital and welfare; and public health and ethics, including enforcement of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 and restructuring of the National Transplant Resource Centre. “If previous years were about diagnosis, 2026 is the year of execution,” he said, emphasising that the ministry aims to deliver tangible improvements in mental health services and the broader healthcare system. In Britain, only two prime ministers in the past 200 years exceeded the 10-year mark – Margaret Thatcher, who served 11 years, and Tony Blair, who served just over a decade. “Historical experience across the world suggests that one term may be insufficient to carry out a concerted programme of transformation, two terms are possibly sufficient, while a third term usually results in the prime minister missing his way or becoming excessively authoritarian and out of touch.” 0 Arguments for extended leadership Nevertheless, Harding acknowledged that certain leaders required extended tenures to deliver major national transformations. “It could be fairly argued that Mahathir could not have transformed Malaysia without a more extended period in office, similarly Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore, (Franklin D.) Roosevelt in the US during global economic collapse and world war and Margaret Thatcher in Britain. “So there is a profound political choice to be made about the country’s confidence in, and expectations of, its leaders and its democracy.” 0 Constitutional change needs bipartisan support Any move to impose term limits would require a constitutional amendment supported by a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament. Harding said even if the government could command such numbers on its own, it would be wiser to frame the change as a bipartisan institutional reform rather than a Madani-specific policy, as the Opposition would also be subject to the same rule. He added that major constitutional amendments have traditionally been preceded by extensive public debate. “There is no great hurry and the government has only referred to 2026 as the timeline. “The opportunity should be taken not just to debate this interesting issue but to educate the public as well as canvass its views.”

Ű BY T.C. KHOR newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Indonesia imposed a two-term consecutive limit in 2001 after President Suharto won eight elections, while the Philippines adopted a single, non-renewable six-year term. 0 Risk of loopholes through early dissolution He added that while a 10-year cap would ordinarily restrict a prime minister to two general elections, early dissolution could allow a leader to contest three polls, undermining the intent of the reform. He suggested safeguards be built in, including a prohibition on a prime minister advising dissolution for a third time. 0 Is 10 years the right benchmark? On whether 10 years is an appropriate threshold, Harding observed that only two Malaysian prime ministers have served longer than a decade – Tunku Abdul Rahman, upon arrival, and admitted at about 9.30am. “He had a fall early this morning and normally that requires observation in hospital. He fell from one part of the balcony to the living room, as I was made to understand.” Mahathir was previously treated at the institute on July 13 last year due to fatigue, but was discharged on the same day. Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, conveyed their prayers for the health and speedy recovery of Mahathir. “I, together with Azizah, pray for Tun Mahathir’s wellbeing and swift recovery, Insya-Allah. ” – By Qirana Nabilla Mohd Rashidi

in the Dewan Rakyat. Harding said that confidence could endure for decades or collapse within weeks. He pointed to the contrast between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s 22 years in office, Britain’s first prime minister Sir Robert Walpole’s 21-year tenure and Liz Truss’s seven-week premiership in the United Kingdom. “The twin dangers of long-term domination and governmental instability highlight the flaw in this system.” 0 Presidential systems and global precedents Harding said by contrast, presidential systems elect leaders for fixed terms, with removal possible only through impeachment. The United States introduced a two-term limit in 1947 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt won four consecutive elections between 1932 and 1944. PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad suffered a fracture to his right hip following a fall at his residence yesterday. In a statement, his office said medical assessment confirmed the injury and Mahathir is expected to be admitted for the next few weeks for treatment and observation. The statement said the incident occurred at about 7.30am, after which he was taken to the National Heart Institute. The matter was confirmed by his press secretary Sufi Yusoff via a message shared on the official “Dr M Media Updates” WhatsApp group. Sufi said the 100-year-old statesman was taken to the institute by ambulance, conscious

PETALING JAYA: As Malaysia considers a landmark reform aimed at curbing executive dominance, University of Reading Malaysia and National University of Singapore law professor Andrew Harding said the proposed 10-year limit on a prime minister’s tenure reflects modern political realities rather than classical constitutional theory. The constitutional expert added that the proposal acknowledges a fundamental shift in public perception in which prime ministers are increasingly viewed in much the same way as presidents. 0 Modern politics over classical theory “What is called ‘elective dictatorship’ is encouraged by the absence of any formal limits on tenure and the emergence of populist politics. “In one sense, a 10-year limit imports the idea of term limits from the presidential system,” Harding told theSun . He said in practical terms, such a cap would mean a prime minister could not reasonably expect to lead a party into more than two general elections, given that a parliamentary term is limited to five years. 0 At odds with parliamentary principles However, Harding emphasised that the proposal runs counter to orthodox parliamentary theory. In a parliamentary system, a prime minister’s tenure is determined not by a direct popular mandate but by the confidence of a majority of members of parliament. “The prime minister is not elected by the people, as a president is. He does not appear on the ballot except in his own constituency.” By convention, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints as prime minister the MP who is likely to command the confidence of the majority PUTRAJAYA: Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad yesterday said Malaysia is facing a growing mental health crisis, with calls to the national Talian HEAL hotline nearly doubling in 2025 as young adults increasingly seek help. He revealed the hotline received 163,709 calls between Oct 21, 2022 and Dec 31, 2025. Of these, 125,417 callers, or 77%, received emotional support, while 38,292 callers, or 23%, were provided specialised intervention by counselling psychology officers. The hotline also handled 451 crisis cases involving suicidal behaviour, including 294 cases of suicidal ideation that received direct intervention and 157 suicide attempts requiring 999 activation, with police and emergency departments involved. All 157 were successfully referred to hospitals for treatment. “Talian HEAL currently receives an average of about 80 calls per day. Call volumes have risen steadily: 27,738 in 2023, 42,990 in 2024 and 90,981 in 2025, more than double the previous year.” He cautioned against reading the surge as a direct sign of worsening mental health. “The situation is multifactorial. There may be increasing pressures, but there is also greater awareness, reduced stigma and more people willing to seek help. “Mental health professionals describe this as ‘help-seeking behaviour’.” Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Mahathir hospitalised after fall

Malaysia facing growing mental health crisis, says Dzulkefly

Dzulkefly said call volumes to the Talian HEAL hotline have risen steadily: 27,738 in 2023, 42,990 in 2024 and 90,981 in 2025, more than double the previous year. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH THESUN

reform priorities, marking a shift from planning to implementation. Central to the agenda is the Rakan KKM financing model, aimed at modernising healthcare delivery and retaining medical specialists in public hospitals. “Yes, Rakan KKM will start at the Cyberjaya

Demographic data showed most callers are young adults aged 18 to 35, a trend he described as “worrying and highlighting the need for more targeted support and intervention for this segment”. Dzulkefly also outlined the ministry’s 2026