How many votes were needed for the constitutional amendment bill?

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The Constitutional Amendment Bill Required 148 Votes to Pass

The Constitutional (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to limit a prime minister's tenure to 10 years, failed to pass in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday because it fell short of the required majority. The bill secured 146 votes, which was two votes less than the 148 needed to achieve a two-thirds majority. The government has announced its intention to retable the bill in the upcoming parliamentary session in June, aiming to ensure sufficient support for its passage.
Bill Fell Short of Two-Thirds Majority

The Dewan Rakyat convened to vote on the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill, which aims to introduce a 10-year term limit for the prime minister. To pass this constitutional amendment, a two-thirds majority was necessary. The final tally showed 146 votes in favour, falling just two votes shy of the 148 votes required for the bill to be approved.
Government Aims for June Retabling with Full Support

Following the failure to pass the bill, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil stated that the government conducted a review and intends to present the amendment again in the June parliamentary session. The government's objective is to ensure that all Members of Parliament (MPs) from the government bloc are present and vote in support of the bill. This includes addressing the absence of eight government-supporting MPs who missed the initial vote.
Misunderstandings Regarding the Bill's Intent

Fahmi Fadzil indicated that some MPs may have misunderstood the purpose of the bill. One minister reported that certain MPs believed the amendment was intended to grant Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim a 10-year term specifically. This misunderstanding has since been clarified to the Cabinet, and the government aims to ensure a clearer understanding of the bill's intent among all parliamentarians, including the opposition, for the upcoming session.
Non-Partisan Effort for Democratic Benefit

The government views the constitutional amendment as a non-partisan effort that will benefit the country's democracy by preventing a prime minister from holding unlimited power through an indefinite tenure. Fahmi expressed hope that the opposition would collaborate with the government in the next session to jointly pass this crucial amendment, emphasising its importance for democratic governance.

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How many votes were needed for the constitutional amendment bill?

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