Penang DAP vice-chairperson Zairil Khir Johari has said that the crisis involving the eviction of residents from Kampung Mutiara in Batu Ferringhi would not have been resolved without the intervention of the Penang state government.

"A solution would not have been found without the state government's efforts by using the local authorities and using the power to acquire land, as well as playing an important role by facilitating negotiations between the land owner and villagers," he said in a statement today.

The Bukit Bendera MP was responding to Barisan Nasional-controlled media outlets such as Utusan Malaysia which he said had denied  the state government's efforts in the matter.

"As though we did not play a role at all in solving the crisis. This dishonesty is very confusing and clearly wants to portray the Pakatan Harapan state government in a negative light."

Kampung Mutiara villagers on Monday were given three months to vacate their homes after land owner Loke Leng Seak agreed to withdraw the writ of eviction dated July 31.

The settlement was reached between the land owner, Penang Deputy Chief Minister Rashid Hasnon, and Umno Bukit Bendera division chief Ahmad Ismail, who represented the villagers.

Zairil noted that many had questioned why the Penang state government could not help in the case.

He explained that every squatter case is different, pointing out that most eviction issues usually arise when developers plan to commence a project on a plot of land.

As developers require planning permission from the authorities, the state government has the right to impose certain conditions on the developers, such as resolving issues related to squatters and compensating them first.

"However, if the landowner is an individual who launched legal proceedings to seek vacant possession without obtaining planning permission, the state government has no power to impose conditions. This happened in the Kampung Mutiara case," he said.

Zairil said the state government began discussions with the villagers' representative, Ahmad, in 2015 and the state government agreed to acquire the land under the Land Acquisition Act from the land owner, funded by agencies under the federal government such as UDA Holdings and the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU).

"Serious negotiations with the land owner could only start after the collaboration (between the state and federal government).

"Even though the state government does not have locus standi in private-owned land, the power of the local authorities to approve development and the power to acquire land was used to save the villagers," Zairil said.

Ahmad on Monday had said the plan was to move the villagers into UDA Holdings temporary housing.

Rashid, however, said the UDA Holdings temporary housing in Sri Tanjung Pinang was not yet ready for the villagers.

The Penang deputy chief minister confirmed that the state government was planning to develop two plots of lands adjacent to Kampung Mutiara, which will enable residents to move back to the area in the future.