The Penang BN Youth has accused Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng of being "afraid" to attend a dialogue on public housing in front of Taman Manggis today.
State BN Youth chief Oh Tong Keong said he had sent an invitation as well as faxed an official letter to Lim on Sept 5, but no one from the office has called to confirm if he would be attending the session.
Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, had been away on a business trip in Shanghai, China, since Sept 4.
When contacted, Lim's press secretary Cheong Yin Fan said her boss returned from Shanghai yesterday evening, and had a prior engagement - a state executive council meeting - this morning in Komtar.
But Oh said his team wanted to show Lim the plot of land along Jalan Zainal Abidin which he had claimed was too small for low and medium cost units.
Oh, (left) who is state Gerakan Youth chief, said the land was large enough to build a flat with 272 units - as proposed and approved when the BN ruled Penang, prior to 2008.
But state exco on housing Wong Hon Wai had earlier claimed that the previous BN administration did not forward a plan for the housing project to the Penang Municipal Council.
Oh then showed a memo dated July 2003 - by Housing and Local Government director Tan Lee Lee - which indicated that the project was approved by the previous Gerakan-led state executive council.
He added that the land was sufficient for the project as the first phase already had the necessary amenities like places of worship (surau), carpark, child-care centre, garbage point, mini-playground and a TNB power-station.
Therefore, the 'small' piece of land was enough for the units as there was no need to include any more facilities, stressed Oh.
"Why is he (Lim) afraid to come? We wanted to show him this area. He would never know that it is indeed enough for public housing if he does not go to the ground and see it for himself" said Oh, at a press conference today.
Umno wants land for free
Oh, and other members of the team - state Gerakan deputy chief H'ng Khoon Leng, MCA Youth deputy chief Tan Hing Teik, MIC Youth chief J.Dhinagaran, and PPP Youth chief Andrew Rajah, accompanied reporters around the first phase of the project to drive home their point.
State BN Youth chief Oh Tong Keong said he had sent an invitation as well as faxed an official letter to Lim on Sept 5, but no one from the office has called to confirm if he would be attending the session.
Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, had been away on a business trip in Shanghai, China, since Sept 4.
When contacted, Lim's press secretary Cheong Yin Fan said her boss returned from Shanghai yesterday evening, and had a prior engagement - a state executive council meeting - this morning in Komtar.
But Oh said his team wanted to show Lim the plot of land along Jalan Zainal Abidin which he had claimed was too small for low and medium cost units.
Oh, (left) who is state Gerakan Youth chief, said the land was large enough to build a flat with 272 units - as proposed and approved when the BN ruled Penang, prior to 2008.But state exco on housing Wong Hon Wai had earlier claimed that the previous BN administration did not forward a plan for the housing project to the Penang Municipal Council.
Oh then showed a memo dated July 2003 - by Housing and Local Government director Tan Lee Lee - which indicated that the project was approved by the previous Gerakan-led state executive council.
He added that the land was sufficient for the project as the first phase already had the necessary amenities like places of worship (surau), carpark, child-care centre, garbage point, mini-playground and a TNB power-station.
Therefore, the 'small' piece of land was enough for the units as there was no need to include any more facilities, stressed Oh.
"Why is he (Lim) afraid to come? We wanted to show him this area. He would never know that it is indeed enough for public housing if he does not go to the ground and see it for himself" said Oh, at a press conference today.
Umno wants land for free
Oh, and other members of the team - state Gerakan deputy chief H'ng Khoon Leng, MCA Youth deputy chief Tan Hing Teik, MIC Youth chief J.Dhinagaran, and PPP Youth chief Andrew Rajah, accompanied reporters around the first phase of the project to drive home their point.
No representative from state Umno Youth was present at the press briefing.
The state BN Youth team has offered to acquire the 1.1 acre land for RM450 per sq ft, and Lim's political secretary Ng Wei Aik has sent an offer letter to the party yesterday.
However, Oh said "there are many things wrong" with the letter, signed by Ng - the Komtar assemblyperson - saying he would comment on it at another press conference.
Oh was also asked to comment on state Umno Youth chief Shaik Hussein Mydin's (right) suggestion carried by a Malay language daily that the plot of land should be "given free" to build housing for the poor.
Oh denied that the two Youth wings did not see eye to eye on the matter, saying instead "it was only his suggestion".
"Actually, if the land can be provided free, it is good as we intend to build houses for the public," he added.
"Once again, we ask Lim to explain in detail or provide complete information on the said land, including details of the sale and those who won the bid for the plot," said Oh.
The state BN Youth team has offered to acquire the 1.1 acre land for RM450 per sq ft, and Lim's political secretary Ng Wei Aik has sent an offer letter to the party yesterday.
However, Oh said "there are many things wrong" with the letter, signed by Ng - the Komtar assemblyperson - saying he would comment on it at another press conference.
Oh was also asked to comment on state Umno Youth chief Shaik Hussein Mydin's (right) suggestion carried by a Malay language daily that the plot of land should be "given free" to build housing for the poor.Oh denied that the two Youth wings did not see eye to eye on the matter, saying instead "it was only his suggestion".
"Actually, if the land can be provided free, it is good as we intend to build houses for the public," he added.
"Once again, we ask Lim to explain in detail or provide complete information on the said land, including details of the sale and those who won the bid for the plot," said Oh.
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