MP consecutive term limit seen as challenge to political veterans

A political analyst has suggested that introducing limits on consecutive terms for MPs and lowering the eligible age for senators to 25 could help challenge the dominance of veteran politicians. According to Mazlan Ali from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, these measures would not only encourage youth political participation but also prevent the growth of political power monopolies.

He pointed out that limiting consecutive terms for MPs could break the monopoly on posts held by long-standing veterans, allowing younger politicians to gain more influence in policymaking. Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting echoed this sentiment, stating that a term limit could reduce parties' reliance on specific individuals, enabling fresh leaders to emerge.

Youth and Sports Minister Dr Taufiq Johari announced that the proposed term limits and age reduction for senators will be presented to the Cabinet soon. Taufiq mentioned that these ideas were discussed at a recent National Youth Consultative Meeting, with the aim of increasing youth representation in Parliament. Regarding the minimum age for senators, Zaharuddin noted that the selection process for Dewan Negara members should be improved as a whole, ensuring that appointments are made based on merit.

He stressed that merely replacing elderly leaders with new faces without bringing new ideas to the table would not address the core issues in Malaysian politics. He emphasized that young senators must contribute something unique, such as innovative solutions to contemporary challenges like artificial intelligence, digital economy, future jobs, technology, and climate change.