Sabah Cabinet approves proposal to limit tenure of Chief Minister in principle

KOTA KINABALU: The Cabinet of Sabah has in principle approves the proposal to limit the tenure of Sabah Chief Minister to two terms, the Sabah State Legislative Assembly sitting was told today.

Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Abidin Madingkir said the proposal would be brought to the state assembly in future if all assemblymen agree to amend the state constitution on the matter.

"Actually the proposal is good. If we look at the federal level, there is already a proposal to limit the tenure of the Prime Minister.

"Similarly, in developed countries such as the United States, and other western countries, they have also limited the terms of the president and prime minister.

"So I wish to state here again that all assemblymen have to agree with the proposal, when we will bring it to the assembly in future," he said.

He was replying to a oral question by Datuk Ewon Benedick (UPKO-Kadamaian) who wanted to know whether the Sabah government is proposing to amend the State Constitution to enable limiting the appointment of the Chief Minister to only two terms.

Abidin said the support of all assemblymen for the proposal to be brought to the Sabah state assembly is necessary for it to be realised.

All legal aspects relating to the proposal will be discussed by the legal officials from the office of Sabah Chief Justice to look into the implications if the constitution on limiting the term of the Chief Minister is amended, he said.

-- BERNAMA