The practice of referring to Members of Parliament as 'YB' outside of the House is "embarrassing and ridiculous" as they are servants of the public and not vice-versa.

Padang Serai MP N Surendran sid this in a statement today, reminding MPs not to elevate themselves above the people and that it is their duty to put a stop to such practice.

"In a free and democratic polity, it is undesirable for elected representatives to be elevated above the general public through honorific titles by virtue only of being voted into office.

"It is inconsistent with the fact that elected representatives are 'public servants' and not masters of the public," said the first term MP and PKR vice-president ( left ).

"This practice is embarrassing, unnecessary and quite ridiculous.

"It also has no precedent in other Commonwealth countries," Surendran said.

The term Yang Berhormat (YB, the honourable), he explained, is used strictly used by MPs to address one another in the House, during debates.

"The public need only address MPs as 'encik', 'cik' or 'puan'.

"Regrettably, many elected representatives themselves have fallen into the meaningless habit of calling each other 'YB' outside Parliament or state assemblies.

"On Twitter , Facebook , public events and ceramah sessions, the term 'YB' is freely bandied about," said Surendran, a seasoned lawyer.

He added that elected representatives never attempt to discourage the public from addressing them as YB, and called for MPs from both sides of the political divide to change this.

They should take "immediate steps" and regard it as their "public duty to eradicate this notorious and foolish practice", said the MP, ahead of the mid-year parliamentary session that begins next week.