FT minister suggests setting up task force to look into uprooted trees

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa has suggested the formation of a task force to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to look into cases of uprooted trees.

The proposal is part of short-term plans to address incidents of fallen trees, including identifying trees at risk of being uprooted for immediate felling, she said at a media briefing in Kuala Lumpur this evening.

“In the short term, this is where I asked for DBKL to form a task force to examine things and we will call all the stakeholders, including NGOs and arborists,” she said.

The task force will also look into Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s suggestion of planting 100 trees for every tree felled in the city, she said.

Zaliha (above) added that she had brought the idea to the cabinet, which suggested the inclusion of Forest Research Institute Malaysia as experts in trees.

The Klang Valley recently saw several incidents of fallen trees caused by heavy storms.

On May 7, one died while another was left injured after bad weather caused a tree to fall on their vehicles in front of Shangri-La Hotel, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

Then on May 13, Malacca Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh was a passenger in a car that narrowly missed a fallen tree along Jalan Pinang.

Bernama reported that DBKL has been instructed to take immediate action by cutting down high-risk trees around the city.

Best practices in other countries

Zaliha said the government will study how other countries carry out tree planting in the city.

“We want to look at other countries that have implemented a sustainable system for planting trees in the city,” she said.

Fallen tree on Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur

She said there were many factors to consider for long-term plans including tree species, how far apart trees should be, and how much area the trees will cover.

Yesterday, Anwar said in a post on X that he had instructed Kuala Lumpur mayor Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh to plant 100 trees for every tree that must be felled.

“I have given instructions to the mayor that for every tree that has to be cut, 100 new trees must be replanted,” he said. - Mkini