Recent tree felling and pruning works across the Ampang Jaya municipality have raised questions over the protection of mature trees and enforcement of existing laws.
Since late last year, the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) has been carrying out tree maintenance works in several areas, including Pandan Utama, Bukit Indah and Ampang Point.
Some trees have been completely felled, while others have been extensively pruned.
MPAJ said the maintenance effort was carried out on 275 trees as part of its safety initiative to reduce the risk of tree falls (see sidebar).
The exercise comes amid growing attention on roadside safety following several fatal tree fall incidents in the Klang Valley in recent years.
However, the maintenance project has drawn flak from stakeholders over the necessity of certain works, lack of public consultation, and doubts about whether proper procedures were followed.
Protecting heritage trees
The felling of two mature rain trees along Jalan Kerja Air Lama, Ampang between late March and May has unsettled local folk. These trees are believed to be between 80 and 100 years old.
Residents have questioned why the trees were removed despite the Tree Preservation Order (TPO) under Section 35A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172).
The law protects mature trees with trunk girths exceeding 0.8m from being cut down or damaged without prior approval.
They also highlighted Selangor’s Tree Management and Conservation Policy, adopted by the state in 2017, which outlines guidelines on identifying, preserving and protecting trees of importance.
Under the policy, trees with historical value are defined as individual trees or groups of trees that are more than 30 years old with historical significance or a strong association to the local area.
She said residents were not given notice before the Jalan Kerja Air Lama rain trees were chopped down.
“There was no notice, no information to the public. The trees were there when we left in the morning and by the time we returned home, they were gone,” she said.
Based on measurements of the remaining stumps, Anna estimated that the trees were between 80 and 100 years old, with trunk diameters of between 1.2m and 1.4m measured at chest height.
Drawing on her experience working in Singapore and Australia, she said trees above a certain trunk diameter were typically classified as heritage trees and given greater protection.
Anna asked if the raintrees that were felled posed an immediate risk as they looked healthy and solid.
“Many of the raintrees removed appeared to be healthy and structurally sound.
“They do not have shallow root systems, which means they are not necessarily prone to toppling during severe storms,” she said, adding that other tree species were generally more prone to falling.
Anna, who has a background in forestry, said urban trees played an important role in stabilising soil, improving water infiltration and reducing surface runoff, thereby helping to mitigate flooding.
She said while residents understood the need to remove hazardous trees, they needed greater transparency, consultation and technical justification before mature trees were felled.
Anna urged the authorities to balance immediate public safety concerns with the long-term goal of preserving the municipality’s urban tree canopy.
Ukay Heights resident Iska Hashim said the raintrees were not located in an area where they posed an immediate danger to road users or homes.
“These trees were huge and majestic,” he said.
“We were asking ourselves what was going on because they didn’t seem to pose any danger to the public.”
Iska said he had attempted to seek clarification from MPAJ through e-mails and its WhatsApp channel, but had not received any response.
He said residents needed to know reasons for the tree felling exercise, including the basis for the decision, the contractors involved and if the trees had been assessed by an arborist.
Iska said the lack of communication was frustrating.
“What is disappointing is not just the removal of the trees, but that legitimate questions raised by stakeholders remain unanswered,” he said.
Iska said residents recognised that public safety must remain a priority, but believed maintenance decisions should be based on proper technical assessments rather than blanket removals.
“Safety is important. That is why you need skilled people making the right decisions, instead of just cutting everything,” said Iska.
He urged MPAJ to explain its tree management plans, especially how it intended to replace mature trees that had been chopped down.
“As new roads continue to be built, every green patch becomes more valuable.
“The issue isn’t whether trees should be maintained, but rather which ones truly need to be cut down and how we can safeguard the rest,” he said.
In June, some 30 residents gathered at the site to express their disappointment over the cutting of the raintrees.
Community-led approach
Following the tree-cutting operation, grassroots group Ampang Jaya Rimba Collective (AJ Rimba) has proposed a
community-led inventory of mature trees to identify and protect significant trees in the area.
In a statement, AJ Rimba said residents living in neighbourhoods around Jalan Kerja Air Lama were joining forces to play a proactive role in safeguarding mature trees.
The group said the inventory would strengthen efforts to have eligible trees gazetted as heritage trees or formally recognised for their ecological and environmental value.
