SUNGAI PETANI, Oct 22 ― The action by a number of opposition members of parliament to walk out of the Dewan Rakyat while Budget 2017 was being presented was regrettable and unprofessional.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said although the group was free to do what they did but as MPs, they should know that they would have the opportunity to argue on the budget during the two-week debate session.

"We should show our professionalism during the budget speech; yesterday was the Prime Minister’s turn to present the budget as Finance Minister.

"If we don’t agree, we can express it in our speech or debate. Many people have criticised the MPs’ action as immature,” he told reporters after launching the state-level Fit Malaysia programme here, today.

The MPs who walked out of the hall while the budget, ‘Accelerating Growth, Ensuring Fiscal Prudence, Enhancing Well-being of the Rakyat’ was being tabled, were from DAP, PKR and Parti Amanah Negara, besides Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The opposition also caused a commotion when they started holding up placards bearing sarcastic messages and engaging in a shouting match with government MPs. ― Bernama