PETALING JAYA: The Consumers’ Association of Penang said there was a dire need to preserve the state’s character of tree-lined suburbs, in view of a road-widening project that would see trees lining a city road felled.

In a statement, the association’s president S M Mohamed Idris warned that the state’s fast pace of development and its priority for motor vehicles was destroying Penang’s “natural charm.”

The island, he added, would soon become unliveable with the rapid eradication of its greenery.

“The Penang government should stay true to its word. A ‘Green Penang’ should be naturally green.”

Idris also demanded the state government cancel the 1.8 km road-widening project along Jalan Masjid Negeri to save the trees in the vicinity from being felled to make room for the roads.

This follows works by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and the state government to widen the roads along the Jalan Scotland-bound stretch starting from the Lorong Batu Lanchang-Jalan Masjid Negeri junction to the Jalan Air Itam-Jalan Masjid Negeri junction.

Idris claimed the recent roadworks had reduced the number of trees to only 18 from 33, along the said stretch and that the number of trees to be felled was expected to increase.

“Ultimately some of the roadside trees are being sacrificed just to move cars faster. Our space and trees are being sacrificed for the Car Gods.”