FIRST, curious visitors turned up in droves to see the wonder tree that had 'grown' a human-like face.
The human-like features on the betel nut tree. -- AFP
Now, they even take parts of the betel nut, or pinang, tree back with them, reported the New Straits Times.
Many of those who go to view the oddity in a Penang village have taken to chopping off parts of its roots.
This is because they are convinced that the tree has magical healing powers.
In a bid to save the tree, villagers have erected a makeshift fence by tying ropes around the tree.
Villager Abdullah Baharom, 53, said yesterday that people had been cutting the roots since Wednesday morning.
He added that there was still a large crowd in the area until 3am so those who had cut the tree's roots must have done it just before dawn.
He said: 'They believe the roots contain healing powers or have medicinal value.
'Whatever it is, they should not have cut the roots.
'The tree will surely die if people continue hacking at the roots.'
He said it was fortunate that only a small part of the roots had been cut.
Villager Abdullah showing where the roots were cut and taken away by visitors. -- NEW STRAITS TIMES
Thousands of people have been making a beeline to see the tree after the strange appearance of the image on its trunk.
The curves on the 5m-high tree clearly resemble a human face complete with heavy brows, a wide nose and a mouth.
Villager Zainol Nayan, 54, who lives near the tree, said he spotted the curves emerging on the tree about a month ago, but the human-like face became obvious only last Friday.
GREW BY ITSELF
He said the pinang tree grew by itself more than 10 years ago, but there was nothing strange about it until recently.
The phenomenon has resulted in the villagers naming it the 'ghost tree'.
Some have claimed that the human-like face changed every day.
The villagers do not mind the large crowd turning up at their kampung.
But they do not approve of people praying or placing joss sticks or flowers at the base of the tree.
Still, the more enterprising villagers are selling photographs of the tree for RM2 (86 cents) a copy.
Some members of the Agriculture Department visited the area but it appeared that they were not on a working trip, but had gone there out of curiosity.
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