Tamilar Kural founder P David Marshel said eight of the inmates were moved to the privately-run Love & Care Home in Kulim, Kedah.

The other 13 were taken in by the Penang social welfare department. They include three with suspected mental health issues who are being treated in government hospitals.

David thanked women, family and community development minister Nancy Shukri as well as Penang executive councillors Daniel Gooi and Lim Siew Khim for helping them find new homes.

He said the authorities must now find out who abandoned the old folks and bring them to book.

The 21 were believed to have been staying at an old folks home in Kedah which was recently shuttered by authorities following alleged abuse of their inmates.

Representatives from Tamilar Kural, who had gone to check on the inmates recently, found them living in squalor at a warehouse in an oil palm estate in Sungai Karangan, Kulim.

It offered to help resettle them over the weekend, but was surprised to find them abandoned outside its office yesterday.

The NGO lodged a police report over the incident.