Budget 2009: What the experts say

Several experts share their views with Malaysiakini regarding the Budget 2009 unveiled by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
MCPX

David Cohen, director of Action Economics, Singapore:

It is a populist budget to deflect the growing popularity of Anwar (Ibrahim). (Prime Minister) Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) is obviously under pressure as witnessed by the rollback in fuel prices last week.

Lee Heng Guie, chief economist at CIMB Bank:

I think most people already expected a budget that won’t have many negative points. So this is one factor that helped the market to rise and also because overseas markets were good last night. But the overall mood is still cautious because there is still uncertainty.

Given the tough macro situation, they may have little choice but to spend more now. Whether it’s the right choice depends on how they fine-tune the deficit going forward.

Khoo Kay Peng, political and economics analyst:

Anwar can, if he wishes, make any amendments he thinks are necessary. We don’t know what alterations he will make, but for example he has mentioned before the RM10 billion extra allocation for the growth corridor projects - which Abdullah asked for in the mid-term review.And Anwar has said that we do not need any new mega-projects at this point in time.

Whatever it is, there is uncertainty and this will keep the markets quiet. Even when Anwar comes into power as he says, investors will want to see how he performs, what sort of plan he’ll raise then.

For Abdullah, he needs to have a yardstick, a performance yardstick instead of just voicing hot air bubbles. He needs to stimulate local consumer demand, find concrete measures to increase wage-earners’ pockets, and look at transportation as he has promised. There must be more buses and other forms of public transportation put on the roads.

Also, on whether the government has enough money, nobody really knows because there is a lack of transparency. Abdullah must find concrete ways to cut down public administration, reduce bureaucracy, for example shift us more to e-government. We have one of the biggest bureaucracy in the region, we are too labour-centric and this is why we have the image of being not efficient. Yes, in the past the public administration is used as a political tool, a vote bank. But we must take politics out of the equation. Anyway, it hasn’t help them (Abdullah and his Umno party) in the elections anymore.

Dr Ramon Navaratnam, prominent economist and president of Transparency International :

On thee one percent reduction of income tax for the highest bracket, the rich can take care of themselves very well - therefore the tax cut was unnecessary.

The middle and lower income groups are the mainstay of Malaysia and the groups which will agitate for change. It would have been better to address their needs. The poor should always be the priority.

There seems to be a shift in budget strategy whereby it attempts to address basic needs and not on unnecessary mega projects.

However attempts to share wealth when inflation is not controlled, will still see the erosion of income for the low and middle income groups.

Tricia Yeoh, director Centre of Public Policy Research:

Such a record expansionary budget with huge funds is theoretically a good thing, given the urgent need to generate growth in the face of economic slowdown.

However, it can only be considered a thoroughly good thing if we can be assured that the money will be channelled in the right direction, without any unnecessary leakages.

Unfortunately, the past track record of government has been poor in this respect. With a rampant culture of corruption and weak institutional structures, this may lead to continued wastage and abuse. I would therefore emphasise strengthening the institutions of governance, so that the funds are actually optimised and maximised.

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Anwar Ibrahim wins decisively with a 15,671 majority

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Official: Anwar gets BIGGER majority
August 26, 2008
Malaysiakini goes live today with the by-election coverage, giving updates on the voting and other happenings in this constituency. Please click ‘Refresh’ or ‘Reload’ in your browser for the latest reports from Permatang Pauh.
MCPX

9.50pm: Official EC tally - Anwar got 31,195 votes, Arif Shah, 15,524, Hanafi, 92. Anwar won with a majority of 15,671.

Anwar’s wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, won the seat with a 13,388 majority at the March 8 general elections.

The official voter turnout was 81.1 percent, or 47,410 out of 58,459 registered voters - which was much higher than what the EC had stated earlier. There were 599 spoilt votes.

Meanwhile, outside Tuanku Bainun Teaching Institute, thousands of jubilant PKR supporters have gathered to embrace their leader’s return to Parliament.

PKR vice-president Azmin Ali is already there to address the crowd numbering some 6,000. Other party leaders like R Sivarasa and Tian Chua are also there.

Anwar is expected to address this ecstatic group of supporters later as well. Tian said that the overwhelming victory showed that “the prime minister’s javascript:void(0)
Publish Postracial politics is bankrupt”.

The EC made the official announcement at 10.05pm. Only Anwar and Hanafi were present at the announcement.

Democracy and the World

Campaign hots up, Anwar still favoured

SEBERANG JAYA, Aug 23 — With only three days before the Permatang Pauh by-election polling day, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is still leading in his attempt to return to Parliament.

Unofficial figures from political campaigners and observers put Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Anwar’s majority votes at around 10,000, slightly lower that that obtained by his wife former MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail who won the seat with a 13,000-plus margin.

Both PKR and Barisan Nasional are now intensifying their campaign to scramble for votes in the next 48 hours before the campaign period ends.

PKR national strategy director Saifuddin Nasution believes that retaining the majority of March 8 general election is within reach.

Although he declines exact estimation, his party campaigners are enthusiastic about surpassing Wan Azizah’s majority, with some of them claiming that achieving a 20,000-vote majority is not impossible.

They, however, realise that Anwar is facing a lot of problems, from the swearing on the Quran by the former deputy prime minister’s male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who accused the politician of sodomising him, to the fuel price reduction announcement by the government.

BN chief campaigner Datuk Seri Najib Razak has also pulled a surprise last night when he want to a mosque here to swear that had never met murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaaribuu. The deputy prime minister has been linked to the case by his detractors, despite repeated denials.

PKR youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said his campaigners had been working hard to convince voters that the lowering of fuel prices was due to Anwar’s pressure on the government.

“The people are happy with the lower price but the people also knew that we have promised to reduce it to RM2 if we come to power. Lowering it to RM2.55 (from RM2.70) will not change the voters’ sentiment,” he said.

As for Najib’s swearing on his innocence in a mosque, Shamsul Iskandar said the Umno deputy president would use religion for political ends.

“If Saiful’s oath on the Quran is not accepted by the Islamic religious scholars and voters in the constituency, why would it work this time?” he added.

PKR deputy election director Fuziah Salleh is more concerned with ensuring all voters would go out to vote, as she is confident that voters who chose Wan Azizah in the last general election would not switch to BN.

Even with the odds still against him, BN candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah is confident of winning.

He has said it before - on nomination day BN’s chances of winning was 60:40, a couple days later it was 55:45 and went down to 59:41 a few days ago and now is on the way up again.

By polling day, it should exceed 50 per cent and BN will win the by-election – that’s what Arif Shah wants to believe.

He also believes the reduction of fuel price will swing the votes. For him, the daring move by Najib to swear in a mosque last night will also give a boost to his campaign. “I can see that Najib was sincere when he took the oath yesterday,” he said.

Permatang Pauh Umno division secretary Ahmad Shahar Shuib is also confident that BN would win, saying that the party election machinery had been fully activated.

Situation in the constituency is reportedly calm but according to PKR campaigners, the number of police personnel has doubled since nomination day to 6,000, a ratio of one policeman for every 10 voters

By Adib Zalkapli

ANWAR – THE ONE LEADER THE PEOPLE TRUST

by Dr. Chen Man Hin

Despite intensive propaganda by the government and Umno publicity machines against Anwar Ibrahim, the people still trust him. This is shown by the polls taken by Merdeka Centre research which indicate that only 11% of those polled believe the allegation that Anwar sodomised Saiful. An overwhelming 89% prefer to trust Anwar - that even 76% of Malays polled do not believe the government propaganda about Anwar

When news about allegations of sodomy against Anwar were spread in the international print and electronic media, there was shock and dismay.

Condoleeza Rice, US secretary of state, a Canadian ex-prime minister, former World Bank president, former IMF president, Gus Dur ex president of Indonesia, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch - all expressed dismay and disbelief.

They say Anwar is innocent and called upon the Malaysian government to free Anwar of the sodomy charge.

Gus Dur visited Malaysia and declared that Anwar is innocent and not the type of person to commit sodomy. He has called upon the prime minister to practise democracy.

International opinion must be valued and not taken lightly. If foreign investors see that democracy and justice are absent, their confidence will be affected and foreign investments to Malaysia will diminish.

Obviously, to foreign leaders, ANWAR IS THE ONE.

THE HOPE - THE LEADER

There is a crisis of confidence in the country. Merdeka Centre has from a poll found that PM Abdullah’s standing has descended rapidly from its high point in 2004 to only 26% today. This is because corruption has gone from bad to worse, the judiciary is corrupt, there is no rule of law and there is a corrupt police force. All the promises to clean up the judiciary and police force have come to nought.

Government policies which are supposed to treat all races equally and fairly have deteriorated and are now based on the concept of ketuanan melayu or supremacy of Malays.

Instead of good governance, the entire government is now engaged in a conspiracy to convict Anwar of sodomy on a false charge.

Mafia methods are adopted. The police attempted to pressure the Burmese doctor to change his medical report of Saiful by repeated visits, but the doctor stood by his findings. After filing his sworn affidavit, he and his family are now missing - probably fled overseas for refuge.

if PM Abdullah perceived Anwar as a threat to his government, he should deal with him through democracy, not by subverting the government administration, the Attorney-General’s chambers and the police and pursuing a desperate conspiracy to trap and convict Anwar of sodomy.

The whole country is tired and disgusted with the conspiracy and lack of good governance. The people want a change, for someone to take the country out of the mess and become a clean, corruption-free, multiracial, multireligious, multicultural, democratic and progressive society.

THE HOPE, THE LEADER. ANWAR IS THE ONE.

Vote Anwar Ibrahim for the Future of Our Country

Dr. Bakri M. Musa
Morgan-Hill, California

August 18, 2008

“Permatang Pauh voters will get the unique opportunity to decide on behalf of entire Malaysia on who will lead our nation. It is as much an opportunity to vote for Anwar Ibrahim as it is against Abdullah Badawi, and to vote for Malaysia’s future – on whether she would progress to join the developed world or continue its present path to join the likes of Zimbabwe.”—Bakri M. Musa

Before last March 2008 elections, I urged Kepala Batas voters to perform a great national service by booting out Prime Minister Abdullah.That would have triggered a seismic shift in UMNO’s leadership. With its ban on contesting top posts effectively circumvented, the party would get to preview other potential candidates.

If Kepala Batas voters were to shy away from exercising that historic opportunity, I suggested that Malaysians could still teach Abdullah a lesson by substantially reducing his coalition’s victory. That would also trigger a challenge to his leadership, and we would have the same effect as with the first scenario.

Alas, Malaysians did teach Abdullah a hard lesson, but not hard enough.Besides, being a slow learner, Abdullah did not get the message.Now voters in Permatang Pauh, practically next door, will get a chance to deal Abdullah a third and final knock-out blow, one he would surely get.This upcoming by-election will be more than just electing the area’s representative to Parliament.

Permatang Pauh voters will get the unique opportunity to decide on behalf of entire Malaysia on who will lead our nation. It is as much an opportunity to vote for Anwar Ibrahim as it is against Abdullah Badawi, and to vote for Malaysia’s future – on whether she would progress to join the developed world or continue its present path to join the likes of Zimbabwe.

Anwar Versus Abdullah

In Abdullah we have a dull and apathetically detached leader who exploits the differences among us in order to remain in power. In Anwar we have a charismatic leader well regarded especially internationally. He nurtures our commonalities and challenges us to rise above our differences.

Abdullah’s “I am Prime Minister for all Malaysians” utterance rings hollow when he allows, nay encourages the racist taunting of UMNO Youth leaders. Again illustrative of his opportunistic and exploitative character, right after the March elections when his party’s position was threatened in many states, he initiated a series of secret meetings with the opposition PAS. In so doing he showed contempt for his Barisan coalition partners.

Abdullah was also insensitive, or more accurately contemptuous of the feelings of those non-Malays who voted for his Barisan candidates, UMNO and non-UMNO alike. The rewards he dangled must have been quite substantial to tempt the otherwise self-righteous PAS leaders to participate in those talks. Fortunately wiser heads prevailed in PAS; the futile discussions were aborted.

Anwar does not have as yet a formal leadership role. Yet as adviser to PKR he successfully created a viable coalition effective enough to deny Barisan its two-thirds majority in Parliament and dislodge it in five states, including such major ones as Perak, Penang, and Selangor.

It is a testament to his leadership skills that Anwar could forge an alliance comprising the DAP and PAS, two parties that represent the polar extremes of political views in Malaysia. Anwar was successful because he builds on their commonalities, their yearning for a clean, efficient and transparent government, one not blighted by cronyism and corruption.

It is also the wish of all Malaysians, whether they embrace “Malaysia for Malaysians” or the “Islamic State of Malaysia” political ideals. It should also be the theme and aspiration of any government.

I am also impressed with Anwar’s ability to attract many young talents. While UMNO had to content with such worn-out retreads like Ezam Noor, Anwar managed to attract many young educated and intelligent individuals like Nik Nazmi and Sim Tze Tzin.

It reflects the priorities of Abdullah and more importantly, his lack of diligence as a leader, that on such important matters as our energy policy he remains blissfully detached except for making empty silly remarks. With rocketing oil prices threatening the global (and Malaysian) economies, Abdullah and his deputy Najib are content busying themselves that Saiful would swear on the Quran that he had been sodomized.

It is the height of obscenity to see this young man wearing his songkok and Baju Melayu, symbols of everything pure and pristine in our culture, entering the sanctity of the holy mosque in the heart of Malaysia to utter, “… telah memasukkan zakarnya ke dalam lubang dubur saya.”

All so clinical, and so well-timed politically! It would have been obscene even without the ugly smirk on Saiful’s face after he blurted his utterance. Thankfully, he spared us the lurid details. One’s fantasy can get quite vivid, especially when given some attention and encouragement. As for the frequency, he has yet to decide on that. He is waiting to see Anwar’s diary first!

With his hands above the Holy Quran, witnessed by the Imam and nationally televised, those crudities issued forth from his sullied mouth. Obviously the cleansing ablution he took only minutes earlier before entering the mosque was merely a ritual, and a meaningless one at that. Surely Saiful, and others beside him including and especially the pious Imam, realized that by just uttering those crudities he had effectively nullified his ablution. Yet there he was, piously declaring Allah hu Akhbar (God is Great!), and then proceeding to his prayers.

I cannot imagine a more despicable sight of desecration of our Holy Book. I would not stoop to this college dropout’s gutter level to even translate the obscenities coming forth from his soiled lips.

Someone had put a microphone on the young man so the world could hear his filthy utterance. How thoughtful! The event was broadcasted at prime time! I pity those parents who would have to explain to their young children on what had transpired.

Such are the priorities of this dysfunctional duo of Abdullah and Najib. And they want Permatang Pauh voters to endorse their leadership!

Contrast that with Anwar’s statesmanship. The day he forms the government, he would lower gasoline prices and release those prisoners of conscience held under the ISA. Regardless whether one agrees with his policies, there is no denying that Anwar has set his priorities and the national agenda right.

Respecting The Quran

I am appalled that many Malaysian Muslims are calling for Anwar to debase himself to the same sewer level as Saiful by swearing on the Quran. If the truth could be had so simplistically, we would not need the court system and extensive police force.

Those Muslims’ commitment to things Islamic does not extend however to their suggesting that the Sharia Court takes jurisdiction over this case. After all both participants are Muslims, and Anwar has already lodged a complaint to the religious department. Somehow at this particular instance and circumstance, those Muslims suddenly have more faith with our secular criminal justice system than with the Sharia.

I would rather Anwar swear on the Quran to commit that, on becoming Prime Minister, he would uphold the constitution and lead a government that is efficient, not corrupt, and has the interests of the people uppermost, as encapsulated in his Ketuanan Rakyat declaration. I also challenge Abdullah and Najib to do likewise. That would be the proper and dignified use of our Quran, the symbolic enactment of the phrase, “Let Allah be my witness!”

It would also have been more meaningful and dignified had Saiful taken the oath over the Quran committing himself to be a diligent student when given the rare opportunity for a precious slot in a local university. And had he followed through with that and studied hard, he would have achieved something for himself and be of service to his nation. Saiful should have known that he was given an opportunity denied to too many other young Malaysians. Instead, he blew that chance for a moment of infamy.

A few years ago former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Ghaffar Baba declared that UMNO could be had for a few billion ringgit, at most. He was referring to the endemic corruption in the party. Apparently that price has gone down considerably since. Today, a local college drop-out with only a promise of a cheap scholarship to a lousy local institution could derail the whole UMNO government and paralyze the country.

I would have never imagined that the future of our Prime Minister and his Deputy would hang on whether a young man’s posterior had been violated. That is what Abdullah’s and Najib’s leadership has been reduced to, and how it will end, on Saiful’s end.

If a struggling failed-freshman like Saiful could create such a havoc, I would not dare imagine what a smart, savvy, rich foreigner could do to UMNO and our country. There is one sure way to spare our beloved nation such a fate: get rid of UMNO and the incompetent and dysfunctional team of Abdullah and Najib.

By voting for Anwar in the upcoming elections, Permatang Pauh voters get to do just that, and thus protect our country.

YB Lim Kit Siang on Permatang Pauh

Dear YB Lim Kit Siang,

On behalf of the PKR team I thank you, YB Karpal Singh, our popular Penang Chief Minister YB Lim Guan Eng, your grassroots team in Permatang Pauh and the entire DAP national organisation for the excellent cooperation and support.

Your presence today at the nomination center in Tuanku Bainun Teachers Training College in Seberang Jaya is appreciated. I, therefore, share your assessment that if we are to use the turnout today as a rough indicator and assume that there are no hanky panky antics and tricks by Rashid Rahman and his SPR boys–my sources tell me that he has a room next to Badawi in Sunway Hotel–, Anwar can win BIG against their “best BN candidate”, Ariff Shah.


Najib and the entire UMNO-BN machine assembled at the Sunway Hotel in Seberang Jaya are under enormous pressure now. Because of this, he will resort to a dirty campaign (e.g, asking Saiful Bukhari to swear on the Holy Koran), and deploy state assets including military intelligence. He thinks that by asking Puteri UMNO and Khairy Jamaluddin’s UMNO Youth to buy voters of Permatang Pauh, he can reduce Anwar’s margin of victory.

The people I met and talked to here have dignity (MARUAH) and want their local boy Anwar in Parliament on August 27, 2008. They also know that the present government has messed up the economy.

I could not help but notice that Najib was heckled by the pro-Anwar crowd who shouted “Altantuya! Altantuya!!” when he raised the hands of Ariff Shah, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and others. —Din Merican at Permatang Pauh
source: www.limkitsiang.com
Permatang Pauh by-election – Anwar will win hands down if decided by Nomination turnout by YB Lim Kit Siang

If the Permatang Pauh by-election is decided by the Nomination Day turnout this morning, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Anwar Ibrahim would win hands down.

Never before in any by-election nomination in Malaysian electoral history has the Barisan Nasional been so-outnumbered and overwhelmed, whether in terms of supporters; publicity materials whether flags, buntings or banners; or sheer enthusiasm, morale and spirit of the supporters.

In the sea of humanity at the Nomination Centre this morning, Anwar’s supporters from the three Pakatan Rakyat parties of PKR, DAP and PAS simply drowned out the Barisan Nasional supporters from Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC, led by a very subdued Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself, Umno Youth leader Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputy Khairy Jamaluddin.


There are those who estimate that the crowd was as big as 100,000 or more, with the Pakatan Rakyat supporters exceeding the Barisan Nasional supporters by a ratio of from 1:7 to 1:10.

UMNO Youth Hishammuddin yesterday played the sympathy card when he “begged” Permatang Pauh voters to support the Barisan Nasional candidate “because we are the underdog”.

The role of an “underdog” does not sit well with Hishammuddin as memories among Malaysians are still fresh that he was far from being an underdog when he wielded the Malay keris at the Umno Youth general assembly for three consecutive years, utterly insensitive of the sensitivities of a multi-racial Malaysia. Nor is the Prime Minister’s son-in-law best cast in the role of an “underdog”!

The impression the outnumbered and demoralized BN team gave at the Nomination Centre this morning was certainly not one of an “underdog” but of a Chinese description of the “rat running across the street”!

Anwar is right however in his caution to all workers and supporters not to be complacent and take the BN mechanism lightly, as the BN is fully capable of turning the table on polling day by snatching victory from the jaws of defeat with its tested “bag of dirty tricks”.

It is a sad commentary on Anwar’s total lack of confidence in the independence and integrity of the electoral system that Dr Mansor Othman, former Penang PKR leader, had to be nominated as an independent candidate as a “strategic contingency” move in case Anwar was unreasonably and unjustly disqualified - with Mansor announcing his withdrawal when Anwar sailed through the nomination process, forfeiting RM15,000 in the process!

Anwar had very good reason to take such a precautionary measure as the decision by the Election Commission to fix a Tuesday – August 26 – as the polling day for the by-election was clearly unfair and undemocratic, designed to discourage a high voter turn-out being a working day particularly for the high percentage of factory workers in the constituency and therefore unfavourable to Anwar’s candidature.

The battle royale of the Permatang Pauh by-election for the next ten days is on - with far reaching consequences not just for Anwar and the constituency, but for the nation and 27 million Malaysians.

Permatang Pauh: KeADILan Wins, Malaysians Win

De facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has picked ‘Merdeka’ as the theme for his by-election campaign in Permatang Pauh, urging voters there to put him on the road to Putrajaya and save the country from tyranny.
MCPX

He told a crowd of about 10,000 people that it was ‘now or never’ to trigger changes for reform.

“We want to save our nation from all wrongdoings, mischief and oppressive governance,” said Anwar at a rally in Kampung Kota, one of the many small villages that dot the constituency.

A former deputy prime minister, Anwar is regarded by many Malaysians as having the best chance among all opposition leaders that have surfaced so far to get a shot at becoming the country’s next prime minister.

His opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat created history in March when it wrested five seats from ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, chopping down the latter’s two-thirds parliamentary majority to a simple one. Anwar now plans to reverse that majority and take control of parliament by Sept 16.

“I am 61 now and have lost 10 precious years of my life. I leave the decision to all of you to decide whether or not you want me to initiate changes. I will accept and respect your decision,” Anwar said.

But the bespectacled and slim-built leader, sacked in 1998 by ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad on corruption and sodomy charges, is still dogged by scandal. He now faces fresh sodomy allegations, this time from former personal aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, and if convicted he will be disqualified from holding office even if he wins on polling date on Aug 26.

Personal attacks and unfair tactics

Meanwhile, Anwar’s political opponents from the BN are widely expected to leverage on the scandal to pull as many voters away from him as possible.

arif shah omar shah bn umno candidate for permatang pauh by election 140808 13 Just last night, the Umno-led BN coalition night named Seberang Jaya state assemblyperson Arif Shah Omar Shah as their candidate to counter Anwar. It has also finalised a two-pronged campaign strategy to attack Anwar both as a man and politician.

Anwar seems unfazed. He told the cheering crowd he has received information that a key medical report written by the government’s doctor found “the boy (his accuser) had no leakage behind”, thereby confirming his innocence.

“I challenge Umno and BN leaders to deny this,” Anwar said, promising that he would run a clean campaign and not use character assasination to win votes.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also criticised the BN, accusing them of resorting to personal attacks and unfair tactics.

anwar ibrahim penang kg kota permatang pauh by election campaign 140808 11 “BN lacks not only ideas, but candidates to fight Anwar,” said Lim, whose DAP party is a partner in the Anwar-led alliance. “BN and Umno took so long to unveil their candidate and when they did, they had to choose an existing assemblyperson.”

“Everybody in Pakatan Rakyat has to work hard to ensure our future prime minister (Anwar) wins and marches to Putrajaya (the administrative capital),” he added.

Blair wins terror glorification vote

Tony Blair narrowly succeeded today in winning a crucial Commons vote on anti-terror laws after accusing the Opposition of trying to "dilute and weaken" them.

Despite a backbench rebellion, cutting the Government's majority to 38, MPs voted by 315 to 277 to overturn a Lords defeat striking out Government proposals outlawing glorification of terrorism.

The result - after three testing days for ministers with key votes on ID cards and smoking - will come as a huge relief for the Prime Minister.

Earlier, at a stormy question time, he warned that to take out references to 'glorification' in the Terrorism Bill would send out a "massively counter-productive signal".

Mr Blair said: "People outside will infer that we have decided to dilute our law at the very moment when we should be strengthening it and sending a united signal that we aren't going to tolerate those who glorify terrorism in our country."

William Hague, standing in for Tory leader David Cameron, branded the move "ineffective authoritarianism" and accused Mr Blair of "posturing" on the issue when he could have cross-party agreement.

"Wouldn't it be better to have a watertight law designed to catch the guilty, rather than a press release law designed to catch the headlines," he said, to Tory cheers.

When the issue was last debated in the Commons, during the committee stage of the Terrorism Bill, the Government's majority was cut to just one, as 31 Labour MPs rebelled.

Today the number of rebels was put at about 15 by one backbench source.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke rammed home the Government's message at the startof a 180-minute debate on the issue, insisting he was "not prepared tocompromise" on outlawing glorification of terrorism.

Mr Clarke said he wanted to send "a clear message to all those recruiting terrorists", adding that all MPs had a duty to protect the people they represent.

The measure to outlaw the glorification of terrorism as part of a wider offence of indirectly encouraging terrorism scraped through the Commons last year.

But the Lords replaced it with an offence of describing terrorism in a way that would encourage listeners to emulate it.

Mr Clarke said the Lords' proposal was too narrow and would not cover placards, publications or websites that glorified terror to encourage others.

"There are all too many people who may be influenced by those who glorify terrorism and conclude they have a duty of some kind to kill and injure innocent bystanders in the misguided belief that they are bound to do so by their faith," he warned.

"I believe it's our duty to those we represent to do everything we can to prevent this happening."

Shadow attorney general Dominic Grieve accused ministers of simply closing their ears and eyes to the case put to them and warned: "The House is in danger of passing law that's unworkable.

"Glorification is not clear, precise or adequately defined. By plucking this concept out of the air, the Government is going to cause itself and the courts great difficulties.

"Glorification has no place and should have no place in our law. It is incapable of proper interpretation .... and risks criminalising those the Government does not intend to criminalise. It is, frankly, as a concept, rubbish."

Mr Grieve warned that Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who would be leading the 90th anniversary celebrations of the 1916 Easter Rising by Irish revolutionaries in April, could be caught under the legislation.

For the Liberal Democrats, Alistair Carmichael said his party was concerned about the "vagueness" of the term glorification.

He said: "The effect of heaping vagueness on vagueness is to enact bad law. I didn't come here to enact bad law."