PUTRAJAYA, June 4 — A special committee set up to monitor the care of trees in the capital will hold its first meeting this month.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the date of the inaugural meeting has yet to be decided.
“We will invite the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) to attend,” she told the media after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding and supply agreement of renewable energy between Putrajaya Corporation and Tenaga Nasional Bhd here today.
Dr Zaliha said among stakeholders in the special committee were non-governmental organisations, arborists, and experts from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia.
When asked about KPKT’s proposal on the need for local authorities to hire arborists to improve landscape management in each municipal area, Dr Zaliha said the proposal had been well received, but local authorities in the Federal Territories requested arborists as well as external experts.
On May 20, Dr Zaliha reportedly said a discussion on the care of trees in Kuala Lumpur would be held with a special committee.
The committee was formed after several trees toppled during heavy rain and strong winds, including on May 7, which claimed a man’s life, damaged 17 vehicles and wrecked part of the monorail track on Jalan Sultan Ismail.
Other incidents were on May 13, in which a fallen tree in Jalan Pinang damaged a police vehicle that was escorting Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusof; and on May 25, where several toppled trees caused damage to vehicles and heavy traffic.
— Bernama
