LIVE BLOGGING FROM DEWAN RAKYAT

5:30: Parliament adjourned.

5.29: Kit Siang and Bintulu having another shouting match.

5;25: Kit Siang lambasts Utusan for inciting hatred.

5:23: Kinabatangan wants a question, Kit Siang waves it down. Kinabatangan says that 'saya nak tolong'. Kit Siang relents.

5:20: Kit Siang produces a short story from a newspaper regarding Teresa's ISA detention.

5.18: More and more examples of suspicious and wasteful spending revealed by Kit Siang. He claims to get most of them from RPK's Malaysia Today.

5.14: Kit Siang is listing off a list of wasteful spending by the PDRM (Police Diraja Malaysia)

5.12: Kit Siang continues his attack against the PDRM's wasteful spending.

5.09: The speaker asks Kit Siang to speed it up and conclude.

5.06: Kit Siang calls for the Eurocopter plan to be suspended.

5.04: I have turned off the auto refresh script. Please manually press the refresh button every time you visit the page.

5.04: National integrity plan attacked. Kit Siang called it kosong.

5:02pm: Anwar asks question

4.54: Kit Siang questions the aircraft purchase of the Ministry of Defense.

4.51: The parliamentary session is about to end.

4.50: Kit Siang urges the open tender system, especially for broadband.

4.48: Kit Siang criticises the government's subsidies to Telekom Malaysia when there are many other companies that have offered to do it without subsidies.

4.44: Kit Siang reads a report that paints Malaysia's economy as one that very urgently needs attention.

4.42: Kit Siang is turning to the current financial crisis.

4.40: Hello everybody! Can we stop counting UMNO nominations for a while? Kit Siang declares.

4.37: Kit Siang continues: Where in the world except for Malaysia that the frontbenchers and the ministers do not attend a budget debate?

4.36: Kit Siang responds saying one of the reasons is because MINISTERS DO NOT ATTEND PARLIAMENTARY SESSION!

4.35: Batu MP Tian Chua asks a question: Do you agree that a nation that has a frequent change of government and good human rights can be more sucessful than one that does not?

4.33: It seems another shouting match is developing between Kit Siang and Batu Pahat.

4.30: Question from Telok Intan DAP MP: What do you think about UKM's chancellor's statement that the rankings are not important? Kit Siang responds by saying that he is like Ah Chiu (from Lao Tzu's book). Is oblivious to everything that goes on around him.

4.28: 2 years in running there have been no Malaysian universities in top 200! He cites 2 Taiwan universities in the top 100.

4.27: Kit Siang is emphasising on meritocracy. TAIWAN HAS DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF THIS! He continues and attacks the NEP.

4.26: Apa guna pergi Taiwan? Boleh belajar di sini.

4.24: Another shouting match. Kinabatangan walks out of the Dewan.

4.24: Its a holiday! Kit Siang calls the Taiwan trip.

4.22: Dia boleh maju kerana tak ada banyak orang hutan macam ini - a opposition MP shouts.

4.21: You are a 'orang hutan!' Kit Siang shouts at Kinabatangan.

4.21: Suddenly the house is so exciting! All because of Kit Siang!

4.19: BATU PAHAT! KAMI TAHU YOU NAK JADI MENTERI JUGAK! shouts Ipoh Barat MP Kulasegaran.

4.18: A disgrace to Taiwan! A disgrace to everywhere! Kit Siang calls the MPs to Taiwan. He calls them orang hutan!

4.17: Kit Siang is one of the many parliamentarians that I adore. He is always able to work up the house. Batu Pahat is joining the fight. 4 way shouting match between Kit Siang, Bintulu, Batu Pahat and Kinabatangan (of course!)

4.16: House very chaotic. Kit Siang is working his witty rhetoric.

Kinabatangan: INI PENGECUT!

4.15: Bintulu seems to be challenging Kit Siang to a fight.

Kit Siang: SAM SENG FROM SARAWAK!

4.15: Shouting match between Bintulu, Kit Siang and Kinabatangan.

Kit Siang: Sekarang kita tahu apa yang mereka belajar dari Taiwan. Uncivilised behaviour. Malu!

4.12: Kit Siang is the second substantive opposition speaker.

4.11: Batu Pahat is concluding.

4.07: The discussion is on high speed broadband, digital divides, and internet penetration.

4.03: Batu Pahat defends this by saying the government will do this in stages. (?)

4:02: Gopeng PKR MP poses a question: He asks why over 2 billion ringgit has been spent on broadband, but only has 20% penetration. The same amount of money could buy 5 million computers!

4:00 Batu Pahat concurs with Batu Gajah. He says that ministers should attend the parliamentary sessions more.

3.59: Batu Gajah DAP MP Fong Po Kuan poses a question: Why are the ministers not in the Dewan? "Risau tak, kau tengok kekosongan di kalangan menteri"

3.56pm: Batu Pahat speaking about how to close the gap between rich and poor. On the way, he takes a potshot at PKR's journey to Taiwan.

3:53pm: Sorry for the delay, there were some connectivity issues, but we are back live. Batu Pahat speaking.

1.02: Parliament breaks for lunch. Will resume at 2:30. See you there.

1.01: Shah Alam PAS MP criticises the government's raise of subsidies without researching it first. He says that when the oil prices are raised, everything goes up.

12.59: Shah Alam PAS MP stands up for a question.

12.57: Bintulu criticises the government's refusal to look at the Chinese and Taiwanese models of education (which he calls superior).

12.56: Batu Pahat tries to respond, but Bintulu (BN) stands up again.

12.54: Bintulu (BN) MP stands up for a question: He criticises the Finance ministry and Education ministry heavily, calling them ignorant. He complains about the Finance and Education ministry's blindness to the Sabah and Sarawak plight. (hint hint I think he is going to crossover)

12,51: Batu Pahat implies the opposition is ignorant.

12.50: Padang Serai: Bila India support BN, kamu tepuk tangan, sekarang orang India tak support BN, kamu tak peduli dia! Everyone is shouting. Very chaotic.

12.48: Shouting match between Batu Pahat and Puchong.

12.47: Puchong DAP MP produces a passionate and angry question asking why HINDRAF supporters were demonised and vindicated in the PM's open house.

12.45: Puchong DAP MP's question is allowed.

12.44: Puchong DAP MP stands up for a question but is waved down.

12.42: Batu Pahat seems to be dancing around the question.

12.40: Padang Serai PKR MP asks a question on the National Service.

12.38: Batu Pahat justifies the government's record by saying that Malaysia has no debt to IMF or the World Bank. In contrast, Indonesia and Thailand have huge debts even till this day.

12.36: Batu Pahat MP waves down all questions and continues his speech.

12.34: Anwar stands up for a question. He says that Batu Pahat's claim that he would use Petronas' funds to subsidise is wrong.

12.33: The speaker manages to calm down the Dewan.

12.31: Shah Alam is having a field day! The Dewan is in chaos!

12.30: Shah Alam PAS MP stands up and questions Batu Pahat's point that UMNO is a peaceful organisation by Anwar's treatment in 1998.

12.29: Batu Pahat says that oil subsidies put a large drain on the nation's economy and it should be lifted.

12.28: Batu Pahat defends the government's lifting of subsidies.

12.26: Batu Pahat fires back criticising Anwar's street demonstrations.

12.23: Machang points out contradictions: on one hand he supports the PM's budget, calling him prihatin and berwawasan. One the other hand, he opposes the PM in UMNO elections. What does he actually want?

12.21: Machang PKR MP stands up for a question.

12.19: Batu Pahat MP says that our economy is very sound.

12.18: Takes potshot at Anwar's allegedly failed 16 September plan.

12.17: Batu Pahat UMNO MP attacks Anwar's record as Finance Minister.

12.15: Batu Pahat UMNO MP continues his speech, and resists the opposition's proposal to draw up a new budget.

12.14: Batu Pahat MP calls it bajet yang berwawasan. Yang prihatin. BULLSHIT!

12.13: Government reply. Batu Pahat UMNO MP stands up.

12.12: Anwar ends in a very passionate tone. He says that we should set an example. Finally he sits down.

12.09: It looks like Anwar is not going to sit down anytime soon. Kuala Krai PAS MP stands up for another question. He theorises that Abdullah ran away from his finance minister post and handed it to someone that many people regard as incompetent because he does not want to take responsible for this crisis.

12.08: Anwar attacks the media spin. Its amazing how long Anwar can talk!

12.07: Anwar says that BN is in a state of denial and are arrogant.

12:06: Anwar supports this statement by repeating never in the history of Malaysia has parliament been forced to debate and discuss an outdated budget.

12.04: Before Anwar sits down, Indera Makhota PKR MP quickly stands up and asks him viewpoint on the statistic that 98% of NTV7 viewers asked the current budget to be revised due to it being outdated.

12.02: Anwar repeats his point that the figures in the budget CANNOT BE USED. This is the first time in history of Malaysia that the parliament is debating a outdated budget! Anwar stresses.

12.01: Finally, Anwar is concluding his speech.

12:00 This country is a civilised country. We should follow the rule of law, not rule of the jungle, says Anwar. That is why ISA must go!

12:00: Anwar repeats his 20% royalty pledge to Sabah and Sarawak.

11.58: The government should focus on the poor. He quotes the latest CPI figures.

11.56: Malaysia is in the lowest rank of gini coefficient. There is one nation that Malaysia is better than, he quips, Papau New Guinea!

11.55: Anwar says Malaysia have a lower gini coefficient than Indonesia and Thailand. He says this is shameful.

11.54: Anwar is asking why oil prices are not reduced. World oil prices have halved.

11.52: Anwar continues his attack on megaprojects. It benefits the cronies and families, not the rakyat.

11.51pm: Anwar: Menteri Kewangan Kedua, macam mana ni?

Second finance minister stands up to protest.

Saya tak minta dia jawab, saya minta dia seberang (crossover)

Dewan laughs.

Anwar: This is a national service lah.... Servis negara

11.49: Anwar uses the metaphor of burning cows (bakar lembu)

11.49: Anwar is quoting figures from the Auditor General's report. Those figures are very alarming.

11.49: Anwar asks BN MPs to crossover to save this country.

11.48: Anwar: Hundreds of billions are lost due to corruption and nepotism in Malaysia. (Morgan Stanley investigation)

11.46: Anwar attacks AP allocations. APs have the chance to benefit the rakyat. But, APs are instead given to cronies like that from Batu Pahat (Batu Pahat stands up and protests).

11.45pm: Takes potshot at PM's refusal to meet him in regard of the 16th September plan.

11.43: Anwar emphasises that emphasis should be put on the people, not the companies and the cronies. Broadband megaproject example used.

11.42: Anwar is proposing Pakatan's own budget principals.

11.41: An Adam Smith mention. More emphasis on prudent fiscal policies.

11.39: "The budget should be balanced. Public debt should be reduced. The arrogance of officials should be capped" Anwar quotes a Rome quote.

11.38: Anwar quotes the bible. Thats a first. He quotes the 7 fat years saying that we should not rest on our laurels and instead be prudent in our fiscal policies.

11.37: Anwar is repeating his point that the figures are not accurate and it is not possible for an outdated budget to be discussed.

11.36: Anwar requests that the second finance minister to respond to why the budget has not changed when the figures have. The speaker disallows it.

11.35: The Minister applies to make the second reading of the Budget today too. This is approved. Anwar resumes his speech.

11.34: Question and answer session ends. First reading of the Budget 2009 starts.

11.33: The deputy minister is exploring Nuclear energy.

11.30: The deputy minister from Jalau is answering an energy question.

11.29: Script changed to refresh blog every 30 seconds.

11.28: The Minister cannot answer Ghapur's question. Ghapur is not happy, he says that that minister is not competent to become a Minister. (Ghapur Salleh of Kalabakan is from BN)

11.27: Ghapur is lambasting the 'manisan-manisan saja' and saying that there is no 'Keadilan' (to the laughter of the dewan) to Sabahans.

11.26: Ghapur Salleh Kalabakan MP is blasting the government for its neglect of Sabah.

11.25: Ghapur Salleh of Kalabakan asking a question.

11.24: Question and answer session. Senator speaking.

11:20am: There are a lot of connection issues, please bear with me.

11.00pm: Parliament to reopen anytime.