KUCHING: Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) is trying to mix-and-match trees for different areas under its jurisdiction.
Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai said this was to ensure that trees planted by all parties, including the developers and private firms, were safe for the public.
“We are always asked to cut down big trees in private land and in villages, but the problem is we do not have special allocation for this. Anyway, we are trying to bid for such an allocation.
“In addition, we feel this matter should become a community initiative, including ‘gotong-royong’ involving all parties,” he said when asked to comment on a recent incident at Kampung Semerah Padi where fallen trees damaged the houses of two families.
A resident claimed he had called DBKU to cut down the uprooted trees previously, but no action was ever taken.
Abdul Wahap said all trees planted by DBKU would be engraved with serial numbers and proper records kept to enable arborists to inspect them regularly to ensure they do not pose a danger to the public.
If a tree is found to be ill, he said, it would either be treated or cut down and replaced with three trees, but not necessarily at the same location.
“There are trees that are planted by other parties, such as housing developers, private companies, and individuals. If they are planted in public areas, we will monitor them.
“However, these people (who planted the trees) do not submit proper documents to DBKU; hence, we do not have maintenance record of these trees.”