4 NOVEMBER 2014
By Kelly Koh
MALACCA: The Malacca
Historical City Council (MBMB) has identified 234 trees which will be declared
heritage trees.
Mayor Datuk Zainal Abu
said they were chosen because they were planted by dignitaries, had reached a
certain age, were unique and had iconic status as representatives of certain
areas, were high in value, had served the community, for example as a gathering
point, and had historical value.
“We have appointed a
committee to identify the trees and label them to protect them. These trees
must be maintained to provide a green and cooling environment in the city,” he
said at the launch of TV3’s Jom Heboh carnival at Taman Bunga Merdeka in Banda
Hilir, here, recently.
Zainal said this was part
of the local council’s efforts to maintain the status of Malacca as a Unesco
World Heritage Site. He said trees from 40 species had been identified,
including Melaka, hujan-hujan, batai laut, angsana, mempari, mambu and
ketapang.
“They are in Taman Bunga
Merdeka, Jalan Kota, Jalan Parameswara, Jalan Laksamana, Jalan Merdeka St Paul
Hill, areas near the MBMB swimming pool, areas near the Malacca Sultanate
Palace and Dutch cemetery.
“The trees, 36 of which
are more than 100 years old, are important assets for future generations,” he
said, adding that they were also tourist attractions.
Also present were state
Education, Higher Education, Science, Technology, Green Technology, and
Innovations Committee deputy chairman Md Rawi Mahmud, Media Prima Television
Networks chief operating officer Seelan Paul and TV3 brand management general
manager Siti Nurlisia Mohd Nadzri.
Media Prima Bhd also
fulfilled its corporate social responsibility through the planting of several
species of trees, including the Melaka tree, alongside the release of 300
butterflies and a variety of bird species.
Also present were local
celebrities such as Fiza Sabjahan, Zaim Helmi, Maria Tungku Sabri, Eina Azman,
Qazeem Noor, and Munir.
