GEORGE TOWN, April 30 — Penang MCA has urged the state government to conduct risk assessments on transplanted trees across the state following the fatal falling tree incident at Perak Road on April 27.
Penang MCA liaison committee secretary Yeoh Chin Kah today said that a total of 184 trees were transplanted between 2018 to 2020.
He quoted Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow’s statement that at least 80 per cent of the transplanted trees were deemed successful.
“However, that would mean the remaining 20 per cent, or about 36 transplanted trees, could pose a serious threat to the public. I hope the state government would form an independent task force to investigate and identify the transplanted trees that could potentially pose a danger to the public,” he told reporters after submitting a memorandum to the state government at Komtar here today.
He suggested that planting new fast growing species of trees could be a better alternative to transplanting to prevent any untoward incidents.
Last Tuesday, a mechanic died when a tree fell on the Proton Wira he was driving along Jalan Perak around 9.30 am shortly after a heavy morning downpour.
It was reported that the decades-old tree was transplanted there during the widening of Jalan Perak in 2018.
