MP orders MBPJ to hire arborist for tree maintenance

13 May 2024 • 11:16 AM MYT
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MP orders MBPJ to hire arborist for tree maintenance

THE Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has been instructed to appoint a certified arborist to inspect trees at risk of falling.

Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung said the arborist must check the treets in densely populated areas and along main roads as soon as possible.

"Last week, the public was shocked by the case of a falling tree in Jalan Sultan Ismail in Kuala Lumpur, which revealed that there is a serious safety risk in public places," he said.

"As the Petaling Jaya MP, I call on MBPJ to appoint a certified arborist to carry out a thorough inspection, especially of old or high-risk trees that may suffer structural failure and fall, especially in densely populated areas and along main roads as soon as possible.

"It should be a reminder to the local authorities to take immediate action before such accidents happen again.

"Following the incident, DBKL has taken proactive measures, including inspections of trees that are more than 30 years old or have a girth exceeding 1.5m, (to prevent accidents).

"It is time for the local authorities in Selangor to announce the measures that will be taken to prevent accidents from falling trees," the first-term MP said in a statement today.

"Public safety should be a top priority for all of us and together, we can make a significant difference.

Last week, a 47-year-old man was killed when a tree fell on his car in Jalan Sultan Ismail during a thunderstorm in Kuala Lumpur.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the tree was more than 50 years old.

She said the tree was maintained by Menara IMC and inspected by arborists registered with City Hall every two years. – May 13, 2024.