Penang urged to plant new trees before felling those deemed rotten

The Penang Ratepayers Association has urged the Penang state government to plant new trees before felling those deemed rotten, citing concerns over the impact on the road system and congestion caused by ongoing infrastructure upgrades. The association's president, Lee Kim Noor, suggested that the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) should emulate countries like Singapore and China, which have taken measures to salvage aging trees.

Lee highlighted that in Singapore, extensive passages are made to allow tree roots to access water, while in China, special pesticides are used to save trees beside pavements. However, the Malaysian Nature Society Penang branch adviser, D. Kanda Kumar, cautioned that replanting efforts often fall short in quality, and that mature trees are vital to cooling cities and sustaining biodiversity.

State local government committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye mentioned that 43,668 trees have been recorded in Penang, including a rare 150-year-old baobab tree in Jalan Macalister.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Vibes's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.