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UPDATED VERSION. The Government has set aside eight working days -- and valuable monetary resources -- for the Parliament members to debate on the Mid-term Review of the 9MP.

It looks like serious agenda, where debates proper take five days and three days are allocated for the 28 ministries to reply to all questions asked by both BN backbenchers and the Opposition. The problem of the day is to approve an additional RM20 billion of taxpayers' money Abdullah wanted to spend under the 9MP.

Today is the second day of the ministers' reply before the wrap-up tomorrow.

You can see how much importance the Abdullah Administration has placed for these eight days of Parliament business, which is relatively costly, finacially-speaking, to stage. However, not many ministers have turned up to reply to the questions as they instead sent their deputies as stand-in. As some of these deputies are real greenhorns, really, so you can see the sheepish and amateurish way these deputies fielded the questions. But then again, being sheepish and amateurish has been the hallmark for the entire Abdullah Administration for the past five years any way.

The ministries that have replied in the Parliament as at adjournement last night were:

1. Ministry of Finance -- Finance Minister II, Nor Mohamed Yakcop (Umno - Tasek Gelugor)
   
2. Ministry of Defence - DEPUTY Minister Abu Seman Yusop (Umno - Masjid Tanah)
   
3. Ministry of Home Affairs - DEPUTY Minister Chor Chee Heung (MCA - Alor Star)
   
4. Ministry of International Trade and Industry - DEPUTY Minister Liew Vui Keong (LDP - Sandakan)
   
5. Ministry of Education - DEPUTY Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong (MCA - Ayer Hitam)
   
6. Ministry of Foreign Affairs - DEPUTY Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri (Umno - Kudat)
   
7. Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities - Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui (SUPP - Miri)
   
8. Ministry of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage - DEPUTY Minister Teng Boon Soon (MCA - Tebrau)

Yesterday, the Opposition and the BN backbenchers were so disgusted with the skimpy answers given by Finance Minister II especially after he admitted that the government has yet to fix the service charge to be paid to Pos Malaysia Bhd for distributing the cash rebate for the fuel subsidy.

He also denied that ECM Libra -- described by theSun as "a company that MPs earlier said was linked to the prime minister's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin" -- was to be the beneficiary of this third-party commission.

The Opposition wouldn't let him go. We have demanded the Speaker to bring him back to face more questions today. We are still waiting if it is on.

UPDATES: Finance Minister II Nor Mohamed Yakcop acceeded to the demand of the MPs and he began to continue with his unfinished replies from MoF beginning 11.53am just now.

Of the deputies who took the floor, I am impressed with veteran Chor Chee Heung and newbie Dr Wee Ka Siong. The rest are pass-throughs who read straight from prepared text written by the backroom boys.

UPDATES since 12.00 noon: Today's agenda will be followed by replies from the following ministries:

9 ) Ministry of Higher Education - Minister Khaled Nordin (Umno - Pasir Gudang)
10 ) Ministry of Agriculture & Agro-based Industry - Minister Mustapa Mohamed (Umno - Jeli)
11 ) Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation - DEPUTY ?
12 ) Ministry of Tourism - Minister Azalina Othman (Umno - Penggerang)

Let's see how they fare today. I am playing Eric Clapton's number now... I shot the sheriff (I ain't shoot the deputy)

UPDATES since 11.40am July 10: The following ministries took to the floor:

13 ) Ministry of Transport - DEPUTY Minister Lajim Ukin (Umno - Beaufort)
14 ) Ministry of Federal Territories - DEPUTY Minister M. Saravanan (MIC - Tapah)
15 ) Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment - DEPUTY ?
16 ) Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development - DEPUTY ?
17 ) Ministry of Entrepreneur & Co-operative Development - DEPUTY ?
18 ) Ministry of Works - Minister Mohd Zin bin Mohamed (Umno - Sepang)
19 ) Ministry of Energy, Water and Communication - DEPUTY Minister Joseph Salang Gandum (PRS - Julau)
20 ) Ministry of Health - DEPUTY ?
21 ) Ministry of Information - Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek (Umno - Kemaman)
22 ) Ministry of Human Resources - DEPUTY ?
23 ) Ministry of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs - DEPUTY ?
24 ) Ministry of Rural and Regional Development - DEPUTY ?
25 ) Ministry of Housing & Local Government - DEPUTY ?
26 ) Ministry of Youth & Sports - DEPUTY ?
27 ) Prime Minister's Department - ???

Looks like a long day today.