Penang BN supporters have offered to buy a plot of land in Taman Manggis - supposedly reserved by the state government for affordable housing - in order to build homes for the people.

NONE State BN Youth chief Oh Teong Keong (seated in photo, second from right) said that if the state government is not interested in building the houses, the BN is willing to help out.

He was commenting on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s remarks that since BN had said that the 0.4ha plot in Jalan Zainal Abidin has been valued at RM450 per square foot and that, if the BN is willing to purchase it, he is willing to sell it.

Oh claimed that many BN supporters are willing to come up with the funds required, as they feel that affordable housing is necessary. However, they have often been told that there is no land for this.

"Now we say, we want to buy the land. We do not want to buy it from the private company, we want to buy it from the state government," he told a press conference today.

"We have checked with the land office to see if the land is still under the state government. We have not got a confirmation yet. That is why we are asking that all documents related to this (site) be revealed, so we can obtain the right information.”

NONE Oh, who is also state Gerakan Youth chief, said that if Lim (left) agrees to the sale, he will ask several BN supporters to come up with the money.

If the Pakatan Rakyat government is not willing to build affordable housing, the state BN will request the assistance of the federal government, he said.

"We would truly care for the poor, not just talk about it only," he added.

The land was reportedly sold at RM220 per square foot to a company to build a private multi-storey hospital, but the BN disputed the valuation, saying it should be higher.