COMMENT | Imagine this scenario: PAS wins the 16th general election and its president Abdul Hadi Awang becomes the 11th prime minister.

He will become the most powerful man in the country and he will remain permanently at the 11th spot because the next prime minister will still be Hadi and he will continue to rule until the end of the world.

For decades, all the previous prime ministers have been at the helm without term limits. Most have stayed around for less than 10 years like Tun Abdul Razak (six years), Hussein Onn (five), Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (six), and Najib Abdul Razak (nine).

First prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman lasted for 13 years and could have gone on holding aloft the beacon of freedom if not for the tragic events of May 13.

Najib could have extended his stay if he had not fallen from grace in 2018. His fairly long reign is not marked by any distinctive accomplishments but was ruined by a crime for which he is now paying dearly.

Then there were those forgettable, short-lived reigns of Muhyiddin Yassin followed by Ismail Sabri Yaakob. They tasted power for one year only and hardly made any impact on the national stage.