KUCHING: DAPSY Sarawak treasurer Wong King Yii has urged the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) to release the findings of a wind velocity test promised after a large tree fell in Pending on 15 July, narrowly missing a vehicle.
Wong said the public should be informed whether the test has been completed and what steps have been taken to inspect and secure similar trees in the area. “Transparency is vital to maintaining public trust,” he said, noting that the Padawan Municipal Council has already disclosed data on tree maintenance works under its jurisdiction.
He proposed that Sarawak adopt a systematic tree management model similar to Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks), where trees are inspected every six to 24 months based on age, species, and location, with preventive pruning and the planting of resilient species.
Wong said the approach has helped Singapore reduce annual tree-fall incidents from around 1,250 in 2014 to about 430 in 2023.
“I call on MBKS to update the public on the wind velocity test and for the state government to implement a structured inspection and maintenance regime across all councils,” he said.
By Connie Chieng