KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — A total of 148 MPs participated in the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address at the Dewan Rakyat, which carried on for five days since February 14.

Before adjourning the sitting at 11pm, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul congratulated all MPs for debating well and conscientiously and advised them to be present at the Dewan Rakyat for two-day Ministers’ Question Time that begins tomorrow.

According to him, 15 ministries will answer the questions brought up by MPs tomorrow, with another 13 ministries on Thursday.

Earlier today, the issue of housing, especially affordable housing among youth, became the focus of MPs during the debate session.

Tan Hong Pin (PH-Bakri) said Malaysians, especially youth, faced difficulties to own homes as housing was offered at prices beyond their means.

"There is a mismatch, if house prices are at RM300,000, that means an individual’s monthly income (to afford purchasing the home) must be around RM8,000, with an annual income of RM98,000, but do our youth have monthly incomes of RM8,000?” he asked, adding that the B40 and M40 groups also faced problems with owning their own homes.

Debating on the same issue, Riduan Rubin (Independent-Tenom) said supply and demand for houses was unbalanced, leading to youth failing to own homes.

"In Sabah for instance, demand for affordable housing is 4,500 but what’s offered by the federal government in the state is only 400 units,” he said.

Datuk Willie Mongin (GPS-Puncak Borneo) meanwhile asked that housing projects like PR1MA Corporation Malaysia (PR1MA) and Village Expansion Schemes be added in Sarawak.

These initiatives, he said, will provide youth with more opportunities to own affordable housing. — Bernama