TAIPING, Nov 1 — The Taiping Municipal Council (MPT) is waiting for results from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) to determine if the rain tree, that toppled over two weeks ago at Taiping Lake Gardens, can still be salvaged.
MPT councillor Ong Eng Sin said samples from the century-old tree’s roots were sent to FRIM for testing on October 20.
“The tests are to determine if it was infected by disease. If indeed it was inflicted by disease, the council has no choice but to remove it,” he said.
Speaking to Malay Mail when met at Taiping Lake Gardens, Ong said the council did not wish to remove the tree.
“In fact, the council has received countless appeals from the people of Taiping to save the tree. Let us wait for the results of the test, expected soon, before we decide on the next course of action,” he added.
Ong said the tree toppled over in the early hours of October 11 following a downpour.
“Luckily it happened at night, as if it had occurred in the morning, it may have hit morning joggers,” said Ong of the tree that is located along Raintree Walk.
He said following the incident, the council swung into action the following day and used eight beams to support the tree.
“Once it’s confirmed that the tree can be saved, we will trim the tree branches to lighten its load. We will also raise it to allow easy access for pedestrians, as currently, pedestrians have to hunch down to pass the tree,” he added, noting that the tree was currently lying at a precarious 30-degree angle with some of its branches partially submerged in Taiping Lake.
Ong said that this was the second tree along Raintree Walk to have toppled over.
“The first tree to topple over was last year, which we managed to salvage,” he said, adding that there are some 24 rain trees along Raintree Walk and about 140 more around Taiping Lake Gardens.
The council, added Ong, conducts periodic checks on the rain trees to ensure that they are healthy.
It was previously reported that part of Taiping Lake Gardens had been closed to motorised vehicles since December 15 last year, in a move to preserve its rain trees.
The 630m stretch of road, which makes up about a quarter of the entire Taiping Lake Gardens loop, is now a permanent pedestrian walk and cycling path.
The decision to ban motorised vehicles was made after consultations with several quarters, including the National Landscape Department, FRIM and public interest groups.
To date, the council has officially tagged 113 rain trees at the park and also maintains over 1,300 other types of trees with help from arborists and experts from the FRIM.
