I just tak faham why MPPP cut those trees

The BOTAK Ficus benjamina along Jalan Masjid Negeri, Penang (15 Jan 2012)

Healthy ficus trees (Ficus benjamina) along Jalan Masjid Negeri were not spare too. I just don't understand why the authority has to hack until BOTAK! Couldn't they just prune those branches that obstruct? These ficus trees will not pose any hazard during stormy weather as they are very sturdy and durable trees....beside they are hardly huge enough to endanger anyone. So what is the reason for the wide spread hacking of trees in Penang? I can only think of one answer. There are many road tarring and now the hacking of trees. It can only means that election is near and cronies must be given works to fill their pockets. Isn't it time to have a Green political party to voice our dissatisfaction? So much for the Pakatan's slogan, "Cleaner Greener Penang". Bullshit!



January 10, 2012
‘Tree killers’ at work in Penang
Star

GEORGE TOWN: The local authorities have come under fire over the pruning of the island's trees.

A reader called up The Star on Sunday to complain about how badly the trees along Jalan Tanjong Bungah, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Jalan Udini and Sungai Ara had been pruned.

“The trees have all been hacked and pruned until they are bald.

“Even the shrubs along Jalan Mesjid Negri and Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah have not been spared,” B.S. Yeng said.

He added that the roots of the trees lining Jalan Gottlieb were exposed due to a road widening project.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president S.M. Mohamed Idris said SAM highlighted the problem in the media in 2003.

“In the last few years, they've been more careful but lately the tree murderers' are back in action.

“What they are doing now is simply hacking away until there's nothing left,” he said.

Mohamed Idris called on the relevant authorities to engage experts to advise them on tree care and maintenance.

Tree maintenance on the island is under the purview of the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) and Public Works Department (JKR).

State Public Works, Utilities, Transport Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng said the roads highlighted by Yeng were mostly federal roads monitored by the JKR.

“I immediately looked into the complaint and was told that the tree maintenance work was done by a private contractor.

“JKR will be monitoring the contractor more closely” he said.

Felling of Trees

A river volunteer at Bayan Lepas Waterfall, Penang, once told me that a contractor offered him RM2000 to chop down a tree beside the waterfall. He refused to accept the offer. The tree is still there today.

The aquaduct at Batu Fringghi was lined with huge trees. It was a protected area. No people can access the aquaduct. The trees were chopped. When we queried, they gave excuse that the trees were ageing and were a safety concern. The case eventually diluted in time.

Well, greed will continue to destroy our natural heritage. If only we have less greedy people working in Bolehland. But it won't happen any sooner. Read another story of felling trees in Ipoh. Another "I tak tahu"! Anyway, this is Bolehland lah!

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Friday September 26, 2008 MYT 3:15:41 PM
Ipoh mayor stumped by felling of trees

Staronline
By IVAN LOH

IPOH: Ipoh Datuk Bandar Roshidi Hashim is in the dark over the recent felling of huge trees in front of a newly-completed building at Jalan Datuk Lau Pak Khuan here.

Expressing dismay and shock over the matter after Ipoh City councillor M. Kulasegaran raised the issue at the city council full board meeting on Friday, Roshidi said:

”I had not given any orders for the giant trees to be chopped down.

“It should not have happened and it could be due to my officers’ carelessness,” said Roshidi when apologising over the felled trees.

Roshidi said the council’s Landscape Department would plant new royal palm trees to replace the felled trees in two weeks’ time.

He also gave his assurance that no such incident would happen again.

On Wednesday, several people had called The Star office here to complain about the felling of the trees located in front of the post office.

On certain days, traders would set up shop to sell fruits, vegetables and flowers under the shady trees.

Earlier at the full board meeting, Kulasegaran said the four giant trees were about 30 years old and they did not pose any danger to the public.

The visibly upset Kulasegaran said 13 smaller trees were also chopped down along with the huge trees.

The Ipoh Barat MP said trees, plants and shrubs provided beauty and were crucial in improving the air quality for the city dwellers.

”The trees are on the job 24 hours daily working for us all to improve our environment and quality of life,” said Kulasegaran.

He added that Ipoh should be turned into a garden city instead of losing its identity and turning into a concrete jungle.

"It's Built On Private Land"

Moniot Road is named after a Frenchman, Michel Jules Moniot, who surveyed it between 1846 and 1855. Penang Hill has been a popular holiday retreat for the Mat Sallehs. Before the furnicular train (and later the Jeep Road), the only access up the hill was by horseback or by sedan chairs carried by coolies through Moniot Road. Later, the road was then tarred but then it was only for horse drawn carriages. It was abandoned when furnicular train was servicable in 1926.

This part of Moniot Road has always be a motorcycle lane since I came to know the trail in 1985. This road could not be suitable for modern day vehicles. Suddenly, sometime in Aug 2007, it was bulldozed. Picture below.

"It's built on private land", they said. How to believe if there is a signboard to prove otherwise?

Aug 2007

Oct 2007 - then they cemented it.

The Consequences You See Today

This tree is counting its day... if not for the Forest Reserve signboard, this tree would have long gone....

More consequences of building steep road on hilly terrain in my next chapter. When are they going to learn?

Death Notice

Something very disturbing really happened in Kiasuland. Let me reproduce it in total here:

Right in front of my house, a death notice has been stuck to a lovely mempat tree, Cratoxylum formosum. The tree has been given 7 days notice (from 20.07.07), after which it will become firewood. There is a hotline for people to phone in to get the reason for the death sentence. Have you ever try phoning a hotline? - press 1, 2, 3...

After three day I finally got a response. The reason for chopping the tree? The leaves are falling into the nearby house and the maid has to sweep them daily.

I also found out that this may be the wrong tree? Carrying out a sentence on the wrong person - I mean tree. Sounds familiar?

Now if every tree will be chopped down just because the leaves litter someone or other's garden, we would end up with thousands and thousands of plastic tree where the leaves will not shed.

What can I do? The deadline is getting near - 27th July 2007...

YC

I was comtemplating to go to Kiasuland one of this day. (BTW, I am from the northern state of Bolehland). Then I would opened my car's windows. Then would let the leaves dropped into my car. Then I would write a letter to have all of Kiasuland's trees chopped down because I have to sweep the leaves in my car! Ha ha ha! Imagine all of Kiasuland becoming "botak" he he he.... (pun intended!)

Luckily, a turnaround decision was made before the dateline. Read below:

Our grateful thanks to the enlightened NParks officers who read e-mails. Members of the public may be unreasonable in their demands. But NParks officer should not be cowed or bullied by unreasonable members of the public. The fact that wayside trees litter homes with their leaves is no reason to chop down trees, not even if the leaves find their way into swimming pools.
YC

Well, if the tree bears fruits, I think it will be of different story. That is the selfish nature of human everywhere - in Kiasuland as well as in Bolehland!

To learn more about YC, goto http://besgroup.talfrynature.com/

SOS - Live Earth on 07.07.07

Today - 07.07.07 is the day for The Concerts For A Climate in Crisis.

Live Earth will use the global reach of music to engage people on a mass scale to combat our climate crisis. Lets do something today and everyday until our last breath!

Live Earth’s 7-point pledge on the climate crisis as posted at http://www.liveearth.org/
I pledge, you pledge, we all pledge, we all win

::The international 7-Point Pledge to solve the climate crisis::

• To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;

• To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become “carbon neutral;”

• To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;

• To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;

• To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;

• To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,

• To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.

:::::::::Let's do it!:::::::::