Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy said a state agency had offered to buy the 2.4ha plot of land from the owners. A compensation package for those affected was discussed.

“After a three-hour talk with the landowner, he had given the Penang Hindu Endowments Board four months to buy over the land. The price is being negotiated. Compensation for those affected are also being discussed,” Ramasamy told FMT.

Ramasamy is chairman of the board, a statutory body which manages Hindu temple properties. The board had staked their claim on two temples and few shrines within the estate in question.

The issue began when the landowner sought to evict the 23 families. The families say they had bought their homes from the previous landowner, with documents to prove them.

They demanded monetary compensation or alternatively another piece of land to rebuild their houses. They are children of estate workers who do not work in the estate any more.

The new landowner, who had reportedly bought the land for about RM1 million two years ago, had been adamant about removing the families who were technically squatting on his land.

The land is located not far away from the Kedah border at Penang’s southeastern border.