IN light of the recent uprooted tree incident in Kuala Lumpur, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) must appoint a certified arborist to thoroughly inspect old or high-risk trees for structural failure which could cause them to fall.
According to Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung, such an appointee should carry out this work, especially in densely-populated areas and along main roads, as soon as possible.
“The incident on Jalan Sultan Ismail was caused by the interconnected root network of trees in that area, directly affecting the structural integrity of the trees,” he said in a statement on Monday (May 13).
“Regular inspections by certified arborists could help identify defects in trees such as damage or decay in branches or roots, leaning or unbalanced tree structures, and cracks in the branches and base of the tree.
“It should be a reminder to the local authorities to take immediate action before such accidents happen again.”
Last week, DBKL identified 28 trees as “high-risk” and slated for felling following the incident in which a large tree came crashing down at Jalan Sultan Ismail.
The incident also caused the temporary suspension of all Kuala Lumpur monorail services between the Hang Tuah and Medan Tuanku stations as the branches had fallen on the line’s tracks.
Lee observed that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has taken proactive measures following the incident, including inspections of trees over 30 years old or with a girth exceeding 1.5m.
“It is time for the local authorities in Selangor to announce the measures that will be taken to prevent accidents from falling trees,” he added.
On May 7, a man died while another was left injured after bad weather caused a tree to fall on their vehicles in front of the Shangri-La Hotel in Jalan Sultan Ismail.
Lee said the incident was caused by the interconnected network of tree roots in the area, which directly affects the strength of the tree structure.
Immediate action by all parties should be a priority to prevent the recurrence of similar tragedies, he added. – May 13, 2024
Main pic credit: Facebook/Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia
