Article: MSN up a tree

Saturday July 18, 2009

THE Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) is dismayed over the felling of 33 casuarina and coconut trees along the scenic Bayan Lepas Expressway on Penang island near E-Gate and Tesco.

Its Penang branch chairman D. Kanda Kumar said MNS had all along suspected that the trees would be chopped down following the approval given to IJM Land Bhd to reclaim the coastal area several years ago.

"Our prediction has come true now. I suspect more trees will be fell in future with the expansion of reclamation works," he said when contacted here yesterday.

Some of the casuarina trees along the coastal highway which had been cut off.

Kanda said he did not see a need to widen the expressway as it was already broad enough.

"I believe they are trying to build an access road to the development site on the reclamation ground.

"Even if they want to widen the road, the company should try to save the trees by converting the line of trees into a divider zone," he said.

Kanda said the Penang Municipal Council should ensure the company plant new trees in a nearby area to replace the fallen ones.

The cssuarina trees being chopped off for the road widening project.

"The replacement trees should be planted near the area and not several kilometres away," he said.

Meanwhile, council president Tan Cheng Chui said the company had obtained approval to chop down the trees in February.

"The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) had directed IJM to widen the road.

"IJM then applied and got the permission from the council to chop down the trees," he said when contacted yesterday.

Tan said the tree felling works were completed in one day.

"The company maintained 11 trees at the site and six others will be transplanted," he said.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Metro: North 18 July 2009