Malaysian Indians appeal to stop demolition of houses

A group of ethnic Indians battling to save their 200-year-old tiny village in Malaysia's Penang state from being demolished by a land developer, have appealed to the police to stop the demolition of their houses as the deadline to vacate their houses expires today.

A group of ethnic Indians battling to save their 200-year-old tiny village in Malaysia's Penang state from being demolished by a land developer, have appealed to the police to stop the demolition of their houses as the deadline to vacate their houses expires on Tuesday.

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The villagers of High Chapperal or KampunBuah Pala, whose families have occupied the land for generations, were given time till Tuesday to vacate their houses as demolitions were to start today by the land developer who plans to build condominiums at the site.

The majority of the villagers, about 300 ethnic Indians, have resisted all attempts by the developer to get them out. They have even threatened to go on a hunger strike on Tuesday.

All is quiet at the village with a few residents keeping vigil at the entrance, local online reports said.

The Kampung Buah Pala villagers will have to vacate their land by Wednesday following the Federal Court's decision on August 20 which rejected the appeal of the 23 families to stay on the prime land.

The developer had failed in its two attempts to demolish the village due to protests by the affected families.