Contractors removing the tree trunk from the house at Jalan SS19/1 in Subang Jaya. — Courtesy photo
Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ) has compensated an 82-year-old houseowner after a contracted tree-felling job went wrong, resulting in a cut-off tree trunk crashing onto her kitchen roof.
Retired headmistress Ramlah Hasan, a resident of Jalan SS19/1, received RM480 from the MBSJ-appointed contractor.
The contractor went to Ramlah’s double-storey house on Nov 27 to cut down the tree after she complained about its proximity to her residence.
“I was performing my prayers while they worked, when I suddenly heard a loud thud.
“That was when I went to the back of the house and saw that a tree trunk had fallen on my roof,” said Ramlah.
The impact shattered several roof tiles while falling shards had also damaged a part of her kitchen ceiling, causing leaks during rain.
She also found that one of her fence spikes had become loose after the incident.
Though the contractor had replaced the broken tiles with spares that she had kept in her garden and had tightened the loose fence spike, Ramlah said she was still deeply traumatised by the incident.
“I am disappointed that an MBSJ-appointed contractor can have so little regard for standard operating procedures and safety measures,” she said.
“During the tree-cutting, only one of the three workers was wearing a helmet.
“ I did not see them using any other safety equipment, save for a thin, green nylon rope, which they assured would be sufficient to fasten the tree.
“It turned out the rope had snapped because the trunk was too heavy,” said Ramlah.
Since the incident, Ramlah said MBSJ’s Landscape Department had contacted her to apologise.
But to Ramlah, the matter was not just about getting compensation for the damage caused but ensuring better work practices by contractors.
When contacted, Zone 1 MBSJ councillor Balachandran Naicker who had visited the site, expressed regret over the incident.
“MBSJ issues constant reminders to its contractors to adhere to the agreed specifications,” he said.
