Several Umno assemblypersons launched a boycott against state executive councillor Dr Afif Bahardin at the Penang Legislative Assembly sitting today.

The assemblypersons left the House when Afif (PKR-Seberang Jaya) was winding up his speech on the 2017 Penang budget, which was tabled by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on Nov 15.

Shariful Azhar Othman (BN-Bertam) and Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong) admitted to the boycott although they claimed the decision was an individual one.

Farid said their decision was based on Afif’s behaviour in the state assembly yesterday, where he lashed out at Roslan Saidin (BN-Pinang Tunggal) when the latter reminded Afif of his roots in Umno.

Roslan said Afif's father was in Umno, but the latter denied it, saying his parents were civil servants in UiTM but were not Umno members.

It took place when Afif was debating in support of a motion tabled by Lim to condemn the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) and called for the release of Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah under the Act.

The incident resulted in a shouting match which saw Roslan ejected from the House by speaker Law Choo Kiang (PKR-Bukit Tambun).

“His behaviour was rude, he does not respect others,” Farid told reporters outside the Dewan, when asked about the boycott.

Shariful Azhar said “His statements always hurt others, he uses words that hurt people”.

However, the Umno representatives denied they were boycotting because of Afif’s criticisms against Umno.

Asked about the matter, Afif was unfazed about the boycott.

“I have always proposed a Malaysia without Umno, I supposed they agree with me now,” Afif said.

“They are not concerned about the people, we answer questions for the benefit of the people but they are not in the House.

“Umno is a useless party, they just raise questions for the sake of doing it,” he shot back.

Asked to comment on Umno grouses that his remarks “hurt” others, Afif replied “How about them? What they say do not hurt others?”.

Law said there were no formal complaint from any of the assemblypersons about Afif’s so-called “hurtful or rude” behaviour.

He said he was also not informed that there was a boycott of the exco who oversees the health and agriculture portfolio.

“There is no clause in the Standing Order to compel assemblypersons to stay in the house,” Law said when asked if a boycott was unparliamentary behaviour.