Pakatan Harapan MPs today defended their move to raise 'Mana RM2.6 bilion?' (Where is the RM2.6 billion?) placards in Dewan Rakyat, calling it a 'civilised act'.

This is because they were not throwing shoes and chairs, as well as tear gas like what happened at Kosovo's parliament, Abdul Khalid Samad (Amanah-Shah Alam) said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

He was responding to Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS-Marang) who said PAS lawmakers did not brandish the placards as they are civilised parliamentarians and oppose with civility.

Khalid ( photo ), who is also Amanah chief whip, said Hadi's statement implied that the use of placards in a protest was uncivilised.

"We are of the view that the PAS president's statement was not correct. This is because we were not throwing shoes and chairs. We were not throwing tear gas like in an eastern European parliament.

"Showing placards (in a protest) is a civilised move," he said, adding that they will continue with such an act in the House.

Also present with Khalid were DAP whip Anthony Loke and PKR deputy whip Abdullah Sani Abdullah Hamid.

Moreover, said Khalid, it was as if Hadi was accusing the women MPs, including opposition leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) and Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR-Pantai) of being unethical.

Hadi had also condemned PAS lawmakers, namely Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang) and Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) for joining the rest of the opposition in raising the placards.

'Impolite statement'

Loke pointed out that Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz had raised a placard when the opposition protested the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the House last year.

"Back then, Hadi did not perceive such a move as uncivilised so why is it an issue now ? He should be consistent in his stand," he said.

Nik Abduh has defended his move not to raise the 'Where is the RM2.6b' placard, saying: "I protested against BN while sitting down."

According to Abdullah Sani, MPs raising placards was not something abnormal as they were acting in accordance with the voice of the rakyat.

"Shouldn't we voice out for the rakyat who suffer? The PAS president should answer that," he said.

"His statement was impolite," he said.