Stakeholders want more information on the four contractors appointed to each parliamentary constituency in Kuala Lumpur to maintain trees. — Filepic
DETAILS about contractors who will be appointed to maintain trees in every parliamentary constituency in Kuala Lumpur should be made public, says a community watchdog group.
Kuala Lumpur Residents Action for Sustainable Development Association (KLRA+SD) chairman Tan Booi Charn said among the details needed include the kind of tree maintenance services these contractors would provide, how much they would be paid and where funding was coming from.
Tan said they also wanted to know the criteria set by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in choosing the contractors.
“Do they have a fixed response time after being informed about cases of trees that require their attention?” she asked.
ALSO READ: Residents want their say before trees get felled
Tan says DBKL should disclose criteria for choosing contractors involved in tree maintenance.Tan called on DBKL to disclose its protocols in monitoring the contractors and engage with residents’ associations (RA) in this matter.
“In emergency situations, can the RAs contact the contractors directly for mitigation works?
“Additionally, DBKL should also study the needs of different constituencies on a case-by-case basis.
“Bigger constituencies would need more contractors due to the larger number of trees.”
On May 29, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced on X (formerly known as Twitter) DBKL’s plan to provide four contractors in every parliamentary constituency for tree maintenance work in the capital.
This came after his meeting with Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh.
“We discussed climate change issues and the role of DBKL’s landscape development and recreation department in ensuring the maintenance of trees in Kuala Lumpur can be carried out properly,” he said.
KLRA+SD is a coalition comprising 55 residents associations, one non-governmental organisation and one higher education institution, whose aim is to provide a platform for city folk to voice their concerns on development and infrastructure issues.
Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye has also called on DBKL to outline its strategy for replacing the numerous trees recently felled across the city.
Lee: Many workers seen felling trees seem to have no protective equipment.He said details about the specific number, location and species planned for replanting was important to ensure accountability and environmental sustainability.
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Lee said he had yet to see any new trees being replanted since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced he had instructed the mayor to replace felled trees with new ones.
“I see many contractors cutting down trees, but no one is replanting.
“I hope this will not just be a slogan, and that the authorities will start implementing the PM’s directive,” he told StarMetro.
He said trees were essential to the ecosystem.
“They improve the environment and cool the city.
“With climate change, we need more trees in the city.”
ALSO READ: Call for better tree management
Anwar said he had ordered Kamarulzaman to plant 100 trees for every tree that had to be cut down.
Lee also pointed out that contractors hired to cut down old trees in the city were not properly attired in safety gear.
“What’s worrying is that they are not wearing safety helmets, safety goggles, gloves, chainsaw protective clothing or protective boots,” he said.
Lee, who served as the chairman of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) for 27 years, said as government-appointed contractors, they must lead by example.
“They must practise work safety ethics and use the proper safety gear, as this is crucial for minimising the risk of injury and ensuring a safe working environment,” he added.
Recent thunderstorms caused dozens of trees to fall in the city, resulting in damage to cars and property, while one person was killed and two injured.
Following this, DBKL stated that certified arborists had identified 28 trees in the city as high-risk during the latest periodic inspection. These trees would be felled soon.
