Tree Falling on Car Can Claim Compensation YB Mayor Adam Yii: Limited to Jurisdiction

(Miri, 24th) If a citizen's car or home property is damaged by a tree managed by the Municipal Council, they can apply for compensation from the Miri Municipal Council. However, privately planted trees are not covered under the compensation scope.

Miri Mayor Adam Yii Siew Sang responded to media queries at a press conference after chairing the fourth monthly meeting of the Miri Municipal Council 2025 today. Regarding last Saturday (22nd) morning's incident at the Pujut Business Center area where a large tree suddenly fell and crushed a car parked in a parking space, he stated that if the damaged vehicle was hit by a greening tree managed by the Municipal Council, the owner could apply for compensation.

Adam Yii pointed out that contractors appointed by the Municipal Council will regularly inspect the condition of old trees, but if tree falls still occur, affected citizens can apply for compensation from the Council's Property Management Unit.

Recent frequent afternoon thunderstorms have increased the incidence of tree falls, causing the public to pay attention to parking safety issues. Some car owners choose to park in the shade to avoid the scorching sun, but they also worry about damage from falling trees.

He said that any trees that collapse in public places, including business districts and roadside trees, can claim compensation from the Municipal Council.

However, he emphasized that if the collapsed trees are located on private land, such as apartment areas, private residences, or fruit trees planted by residents themselves, they are not within the compensation scope of the Municipal Council. The final compensation amount will be investigated and determined by insurance companies.

Citizens intending to claim compensation need to submit applications according to procedures, including filing a police report and attaching the report; providing photos of the damaged car or property before and after repairs; and submitting repair receipts. These documents must be submitted together to the Property Management Unit of the Miri Municipal Council building for processing by the relevant unit.