GEORGE TOWN, Sept 26 — Residents of Pepper Estate here are living in fear of large trees falling onto their homes especially during heavy rains and storms.
In a storm last week, a large tree fell over the Vale of Tempe Road (Jalan Lembah Permai) which is just above the housing estate, causing more residents to worry for their safety.
Lim Lian Choong, 68, said the tree fell on the road this time but it could have fallen down the slope onto the houses below.
“Every time there is heavy rain or strong winds, we will be worried... will we be next?” she said.
She said the residents of the housing estate, especially those living near the slopes of Vale of Tempe Road, are having sleepless nights worrying over whether the trees would fall onto their houses.
The old housing estate, bordering Vale of Tempe Road in Tanjung Bungah, is nestled in a valley with large ancient trees towering over some of the houses.
Lim said a section of her roof flew off during a storm a few days ago.
“It made such a loud sound that we thought it was a falling tree... we ran out of our homes in fear,” she said.
She said if any of the large trees were to fall on to her house, she would not be alive today.
“So we really hope the authorities will do something about this before anything untoward happens,” she said.
“It will be too late if one of these large trees fell on our houses and all of us are killed, we don’t want them to pay for our funerals... we just want them to prevent this from happening,” she added.
Another resident, R.Kalivani, 50, said her kitchen and part of the roof of her house were damaged by a fallen branch a few years ago.
“When I complained to the village head about it, he said it was under the government’s jurisdiction and they sent someone over to repair the roof and trim the tree,” she said.
She said she had asked if they could remove some of the trees that were hanging precariously over her house but they told her they would get back to her.
“That was four years ago, before Covid-19, now it’s after Covid-19 and they never came back,” she said.
She said she has three children living with her in that house so she is worried about their safety.
Tan Yeam Hock, 82, said he had complained about the overgrown bushes and trees along the slopes behind his house to the Kebun Bunga assemblyman Lee Boon Heng’s service centre.
“We want them to trim the trees and cut down those that could pose a danger to us,” he said.
He said the service centre sent someone over to check one day late in the evening and after that, there was no further action.
Most of the elderly residents in the housing estate have been living there for over four to five decades since the 1970s.
Goh Kooi Hua, 80, who has lived there for over 50 years said she couldn’t sleep at night especially when it’s raining.
“We are in constant fear for our lives,” she said.
K. Kamaladevy, 66, said a large branch from a tree towering over her house fell onto the ground in her house compound, narrowly missing her house.
“Now, we are worried about it falling onto our house, if a larger branch were to fall, it could pose a danger to my family,” she said.
The residents have sought out private contractors to check on the trees and they were told that at least 10 trees needed to be cut down.
“We can’t afford to pay the contractor, it comes up to thousands and we were also told that the slopes were government land so we cannot cut trees on government land,” Lim said.
The residents hope that the authorities will seriously consider their plight and do something about the large trees along the slopes above their homes.
