GEORGE TOWN: At least 131 trees on Penang Island have been identified as 'unhealthy' and in urgent need of a phase three risk assessment to determine if they should be removed for safety reasons.
State Local Government Committee chairman H'ng Mooi Lye said the trees are mainly located along Jalan Macalister, Jalan Utama, Jalan Burmah, Jalan Kelawei, and Jalan Perak— all major roads used by thousands of motorists daily.
Phase three risk assessment, H'ng said, involved the use of Picus Sonic Tomograph and Resistograph equipment to determine the level of decay in a tree trunk
"The state government's direction is very clear: if we can save any unhealthy trees, we will do it at all costs.
"However, if the level of decay is too severe to be treated (about 70 to 80 percent), we will have to chop down the tree.
"This is for safety reasons, especially for both motorists or pedestrians," he told reporters when met at Jalan Macalister here today where he was briefed on the use of the Picus Sonic Tomograph and Resistigraph equipment.
Present were Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran and arborist Ridzuan Yahaya, who is Arbormaster Resources director.
H'ng said there were at least 40,000 trees under the jurisdiction of MBPP, of which 314 are large trees over 90 years old that are still standing strong.
"This year, MBPP has appointed a contractor with arborist expertise to carry out tree risk assessment and maintenance on the five main stretches — Jalan Macalister, Jalan Utama, Jalan Burmah, Jalan Kelawei and Jalan Perak.
"As of now, 561 trees from 1,195 trees along the five roads have been assessed with the overall assessment work expected to be completed by next month.
"This will be expanded to other roads next year and will be carried out continuously," he added.
Meanwhile, in Seberang Prai, H'ng said there were 115,706 trees under the MBSP's jurisdiction, of which 96,586 trees had been checked and marked.
"For this year, 23 trees in Seberang Prai have been identified as high risk. Eight of these trees have been chopped down while the remaining 15 will be done accordingly," he said.
Rajendran said 30 trees under its jurisdiction had been approved for chopping down by the MBPP one-stop centre, represented by all technical departments.
He said the trees would have to go based on expert views for various reasons.
"It (the chopping down) will be done in stages. The high risk ones will be removed first. We don't want to take any risk," he said.
H'ng assured that for every tree chopped, they would replant another tree in its place.
Last Monday, H'ng said the Penang government had instructed both the MBPP and Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP) to submit a report on the maintenance of trees under their jurisdiction.
Both city councils have also been instructed to carry out inspections of trees, especially in light of the current rainy season.
In recent weeks, Penang, particularly the island, has witnessed several incidents of uprooted trees.
The worst was on May 10 where five vehicles were damaged, including one badly, after two trees uprooted along Jalan Macalister following heavy rain.