Parliament is restricting the number of journalists covering its proceedings to downplay a vote against Budget 2016, claimed an opposition MP.

Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah said this in relation to a recent rule that only three journalists per agency, including photographers and videographers, can attend Parliament.

"I am quite convinced this is (done) on purpose and particularly targeted for today's occasion where they may have something extraordinary happening in the Parliament.

"Voting (on the budget) may go against the government. Even BN (lawmakers) may defect," Raja Bahrin ( photo ) said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

Media practitioners were filtered at the Parliament gate today and agencies which had sent more than three reporters were turned away.

The restriction is allegedly due to space limitations in the temporary Parliament lobby.

Coincidentally, today is also the last day of the budget policy debate, with the Finance Ministry the last one to wind up.

MPs will then vote on the budget, and if it is approved, it will move on to the committee stage.

The opposition plans to vote down the budget to show that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak does not command majority support in the House.

Besides limiting coverage of the budget vote, Raja Bahrin said the media restrictions was also a disgrace to proposed parliamentary reforms.

"They are talking about parliamentary reforms, further improving democracy but the action does not reflect that," he said.