Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pledged in his maiden speech to paliament today to uphold democracy while fighting terrorism and corruption.

Abdullah broke into tears at the end of his address as he called on Allah for guidance and inspiration.

The new premier took over Friday from Mahathir Mohamad, who was also known to weep at emotional moments during his 22 years in power.

"We believe democracy is the best system of governance," Abdullah said. "We must be open and ready to accept criticism and contrary views to ensure that a culture of democracy thrives.

However, he said, "democracy does not mean absolute freedom. Issues that inflame religious,racial, and cultural sentiments should not be sensationalised while attempts to undermine national security must be dealt with firmly.

"We cannot compromise when dealing with the threats posed by extremism, terrorism, and militancy."

Malaysia has detained more than 90 alleged Islamic militants in the past two years, many of them accused of membership in the Jemaah Islamiah terrorist group blamed for a series of deadly bomb attacks in the region.

Eradicating corruption

Abdullah also spent time addressing the issue of corruption in a country accused of crony capitalism under Mahathir.

"The public sector shoulders the responsibility of ensuring national policies are implemented effectively and must reflect a clean and incorruptible image," he said.

"Our resolve to have a civil service that is corruption-free should not be weakened by unhealthy practices in the private sector or by parties outside the government that contribute to this disease."

Abdullah was fulsome in praise of Mahathir, describing him as "a hero to his nation and to his people - a hero who elevated his country in the eyes of the world."

However, he also addressed another issue for which Mahathir's government was regularly criticised - the centralisation of power in the hands of the prime minister.

"The practice of constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy will continue to be supported and we must respect the separation of powers within the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.

"This is important to maintain the checks and balances needed to prevent abuses of power," he said. - AFP