KUALA LUMPUR: Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye has emphasised the critical need for better tree maintenance in Kuala Lumpur following a fatal incident yesterday.
In the incident, a man lost his life after a large uprooted tree during a thunderstorm on Jalan Sultan Ismail.
Lee, who is the chairman of the Alliance of Safety Community (Ikatan), has called upon the city council to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring citizen safety by conducting regular tree inspections.
"Incidents like this could be avoided if the local authorities like the city council have properly equipped themselves for such incidents.
"What's important is that the trees 30 to 40 years old need to be inspected by experts like arborists to avoid them from falling, especially during a rainstorm," he said when contacted by New Straits Times.
Meanwhile, Lee expressed disappointment that similar incidents involving nature have been treated with minimal attention until lives are endangered, underscoring the urgency for a more serious approach from authorities.
He called for a comprehensive, long-term plan from local authorities to ensure the functionality of trees in Kuala Lumpur, including providing shade for citizens.
"When people's lives are involved in the incident, it becomes a serious issue.
"A serious incident of this nature cannot be something destined to happen, but something that can be prevented through a well-executed plan," he added.
Yesterday, a 47-year-old man was killed after an uprooted tree fell on his car at Jalan Sultan Ismail