Environmental groups slam Penang authorities after massive tree removal operations cleared more than 240 specimens for major transport developments. The Penang Island City Council manages nearly 44,000 urban trees, but activists warn the green canopy faces severe threats from infrastructure projects. Malaysian Nature Society adviser D. Kanda Kumar blasts officials for destroying mature trees that cannot be replaced by simple plantings. Climate defenders argue each lost tree weakens natural defenses against rising temperatures and pollution. Wildlife habitats disappear when developers hack away decades-old growth for concrete and steel.
State transport chief Zairil Khir Johari defends the controversial removals as essential for reducing traffic congestion. His department slashed the original 500-tree proposal for the Air Itam expressway bypass down to just 100 casualties. Cable car construction crews target 145 trees around Penang Hill stations, with officials claiming most victims are worthless species. Forest reserve clearances require coordination with the Forestry Department before chainsaws start buzzing. Replacement plantings will supposedly restore the ecological balance in nearby locations.
Local government chairman Jason H'ng Mooi Lye promises developers must replace every felled tree under city regulations. Municipal records track 446 ancient trees between 60 and 100 years old alongside 3,267 mature specimens aged 40 to 60 years. A rare baobab tree standing 150 years along Jalan Macalister ranks among the island's most treasured natural landmarks. Mainland districts harbor an additional 147,833 trees across three administrative zones. Conservationists demand stronger protections before Penang loses its remaining forest heritage to development pressures.
State transport chief Zairil Khir Johari defends the controversial removals as essential for reducing traffic congestion. His department slashed the original 500-tree proposal for the Air Itam expressway bypass down to just 100 casualties. Cable car construction crews target 145 trees around Penang Hill stations, with officials claiming most victims are worthless species. Forest reserve clearances require coordination with the Forestry Department before chainsaws start buzzing. Replacement plantings will supposedly restore the ecological balance in nearby locations.
Local government chairman Jason H'ng Mooi Lye promises developers must replace every felled tree under city regulations. Municipal records track 446 ancient trees between 60 and 100 years old alongside 3,267 mature specimens aged 40 to 60 years. A rare baobab tree standing 150 years along Jalan Macalister ranks among the island's most treasured natural landmarks. Mainland districts harbor an additional 147,833 trees across three administrative zones. Conservationists demand stronger protections before Penang loses its remaining forest heritage to development pressures.
