Land owners here have been urged not to hastily sell off their plots for quick profits as this move could disrupt the physical environment of the area.

Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad said some land owners had received letters from a real estate agency asking them whether they have any intention to sell or rent out their lands.

“Just imagine if 100 acres of land were sold off.

“The landscape of Balik Pulau would surely then change.

“The owners here are entrusted to the land. Please don’t sell it.

“The quick profits will not last forever. But with the land, we can keep it for the generations to come.

“Even if they build new houses here, it is going to be costly. Only outsiders can afford it, not the locals here.

“If possible, please maintain Balik Pulau as it is, “ he said after presenting aids in the form of monetory aid, laptops, a personal computer and a printer totalling RM40,000 to 13 schools, the Fisherman Association and religious organisations in Balik Pulau.

Muhammad Farid, who also received the same letter, also questioned how the real estate agency got hold of their addresses.

“So far, I’ve collected 12 letters from the residents,” he added.

The letters dated March were sent by a real estate agency based in Butterworth.

When contacted, a spokesman for the real estate agency who declined to be named said that their company was assigned by a developer to obtain feedback from the residents.

“We are not forcing anyone to sell or rent their land.

“In fact, we have already received feedback from them. Some are not willing to sell but some are willing to provided the price is good. We will present the feedback we received to our client,” she said.

Source : The Star