The minister says that it is 'fairer' to have a fixed five-year term for Parliament like the Westminster system.
(FMT) - Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz today said that Malaysia should emulate the Westminster system and fix a five-year term for Parliament.
“As opposed to the current tendency to call for snap polls, I would like to be the catalyst to bring this principle to Malaysia. It is fairer,” he said.
“In the Westminster system, five years means five years, and if the same is beneficial for our country then, we should discuss and maybe implement it.”
He said this during his winding-up speech of the third reading of the Supplementary Supply Bill 2012.
The UK’s Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 has legislated that the general election must be held on the first Thursday in May every five years.
Responding to a question from PAS’ Salahuddin Ayub (Kubang Kerian), the Padang Rengas MP said that he was bringing this up in his personal capacity.
“Personally, I agree that five years means five years, so that when we go to polls, the menteris besar and the prime minister know that they will sit in for five years.”
In recent months, the guessing game of when Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak would dissolve Parliament and call for snap polls has become more intense.
Several politicians, some even from the BN ruling coalition, have advised Najib to serve the full term.
Fixed date for general elections is practised in several countries, including Norway and Switzerland.
Canada and its provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Northwest Territories) have implemented fixed-term elections too.
Elections to the European Parliament occur every five years in June.
Presidential elections in the United States occur every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.
Germany, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) have semi-fixed terms in that dissolution at any time in mid-term is allowed only to resolve a serious deadlock.
