KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the proposal for the government to see out its full five-year term, while good for stability, would lead to the country's destruction if its leader is a criminal.
The former prime minister asked what would happen if the government is led by someone who openly plundered the nation's coffers and jails members of the opposition.
'What will happen if the people's assets are seized? What happens if the economy is in tatters to the extent that the people are starving?
"What will happen if the police and army steal? What will happen if corruption worsens until all government dealings take a long time and would depend on the bribes given?
"If a government this bad is in power for five years, the damage would be irreversible and the country will be destroyed," he said in a statement today.
Dr Mahathir is believed to be referring to proposal to enact a Fixed Term Parliament Act to ensure that a government sees out its full five-year term after winning the general election.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who made the suggestion earlier this week, said this would enable the government to focus on governing the country, thus avoiding any political threats.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, meanwhile, said the ministry's Legal Affairs Division would undertake research as groundwork for the bill, with its findings being presented to the cabinet to deliberate on the policy direction.
Dr Mahathir conceded that a poor government can be defeated via a general election.
However, he claimed that a government, using its power and tools at its disposal, can cheat in a general election and emerge victorious, thus enabling abuse of power to continue.
"On the other hand, if a democracy functions properly, even a government party can bring down a leader who is criminal and corrupt.
"A leader who is honest and upholds the law can be elected to replace a destructive leader.
"If a party does not bring down their corrupt leader, other members of parliament can then pull their support for him. He will fall and even his party would fall. A general election can then be held to elect a new government," he said.
