GEORGE TOWN: A DAP lawmaker has called for an aggressive masterplan to care for old and large trees.
This came after two trees were uprooted on Jalan Macalister here this morning following heavy rain.
Five cars were damaged in the incident, with a Perodua Myvi suffering total losses.
Pulau Tikus assemblyman Joshua Woo Sze Zeng said there was an urgent need to have a more aggressive masterplan to care for these trees and scheduled pruning.
"If there is a need to clear some of these dangerous trees, then the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) should not hesitate to do so to ensure that these public areas and roads are safe for users.
"Our priority is the lives of Penangites.'
Woo said this morning's incident was not the first in his constituency.
He said on April 26, a tree fell and damaged four cars at Lebuh Raya Scott in Pulau Tikus.
Fortunately, no one was hurt in both incidents.
"My service centre team has been working closely with MBPP to monitor and prune trees, especially those large ones along the four 'green corridors' in Pulau Tikus: Jalan Kelawai, Jalan Burma, Jalan Macalister, and Jalan Utama.
"There are hundreds of these very old and large trees in these areas compared to other places," he added.
According to Woo, these trees are important to a city's landscape and act as green lungs in an urban setting.