Miri: DAP Sarawak Secretary Alan Ling has criticised remarks by SUPP Stakan Advisor Datuk Sim Kiang Chiok that term limits are “detrimental to policy continuity,” saying such views ignore Sarawak’s political reality and underestimate the institutional risks of prolonged concentration of power.
Ling pointed out that the current composition of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly – 80 seats held by the ruling bloc against only two opposition seats – renders claims that parliamentary oversight and checks and balances are sufficient “completely detached from reality”.
“Term limits have never been about rejecting stability or long-term planning, but about preventing power from extending indefinitely in an environment lacking effective checks and balances,” he said.
Referring to Sarawak’s political history, Ling noted that corruption was rampant during the Taib Mahmud era and only showed relative improvement under former chief minister Adenan Satem.
However, he cautioned against using isolated examples of reform as justification to oppose term limits.
“What truly weakens long-term policy continuity is the personalization of power, not the imposition of term limits,” he said.
Responding to claims that term limits encourage short-term policymaking, he said policies fail when they depend excessively on individuals rather than strong institutions and professional systems.
“A mature government should be able to maintain its policy direction under different leaders. If a policy survives only because one person remains in power for a long time, that reflects institutional fragility, not stability,” he said.
Ling further warned that prolonged rule without leadership renewal often results in declining accountability, weakened oversight mechanisms, and poorer governance.
He also called on Sim Kiang Chiok, if he truly claims to care about institutional integrity and Sarawak’s long-term interests, to advise his SUPP MPs, Huang Tiong Sii and Datuk Richard Riot, to vote against the proposed constitutional amendment when it is tabled.
“Term limits are not a rejection of any current leader. They are a fundamental safeguard for Sarawak’s future,” he said.
