2 ex-ministers among those absent from vote to limit PM’s term

2026-03-02 - 14:04

Hishammuddin Hussein is a former home minister, while M Saravanan is a former human resources minister. PETALING JAYA: Two former federal ministers were among the eight MPs from the government bloc absent during today’s vote on a bill to limit the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years. According to a Pakatan Harapan source, the two were Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein and Tapah MP M Saravanan. Hishammuddin is a former home minister, while Saravanan is a former human resources minister. The remaining six were Larry Sng (Julau), Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Henry Sum Agong (Lawas), Suhaimi Nasir (Libaran), Riduan Rubin (Tenom) and former Sabah deputy chief minister Jeffrey Kitingan (Keningau). Earlier, the Dewan Rakyat failed to pass a constitutional amendment to limit the prime minister’s tenure to a maximum of 10 years after the vote fell short of the required two-thirds majority. In the bloc vote, 146 MPs supported the bill, 44 abstained and 32 were absent. It needed at least 148 votes to meet the two-thirds majority required for constitutional amendment. In a Facebook post following the vote, Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Alice Lau said eight MPs from the government bloc were absent. “All the MPs from Pakatan Harapan were present and backed the bill,” she said. DAP secretary-general and Seremban MP Loke Siew Fook also said all 40 MPs from his party were present to support the bill. FMT has reached out to the MPs who were said to be absent.