Minister says Landscape Dept to identify suitable trees to be re-planted along KL roads amid tree felling exercise

PUTRAJAYA, May 15 — Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said today that the National Landscape Department will identify suitable plant species to be re-planted along the roads in Kuala Lumpur

“The National Landscape Department has been entrusted to identify suitable tree species to be planted along the roads in the capital city.

“We will also ensure the maintenance of the replacement or fertilisation of the trees will be carried out according to the regular schedule,” the minister said here.

His remarks came following orders to trim trees around Kuala Lumpur that may jeopardise public safety after two incidents of trees falling onto the road and vehicles in the city centre the past week.

There are 28 trees left in Kuala Lumpur that are eligible to be trimmed after the government identified over 1,300 trees that are above 50 years old.

Without specifying which incident, the minister said that the tree that fell on the road recently was 128 years old and was scheduled for trimming before it fell during the afternoon downpour in the capital.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ordered Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh to plant 100 trees for every tree that is felled in the city.

On Monday, Federal Territories Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa had instructed the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to promptly fell trees at risk of getting uprooted following that incident.

Last week, a tree toppled on Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur claiming one life and leaving two others injured.

On May 13, another large tree fell along Jalan Pinang with no casualties but three cars and five motorcycles were damaged. Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa confirmed that one of the damaged cars was an escorting Proton X70 police patrol car for Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.