Trees with cavity and signs of disease chopped down. KOTA KINABALU: Casuarina trees that are at least 20 years old along the Tanjung Aru beach were chopped down over the weekend amid questions over the future of the beachfront area. Officials said the trees were not in good condition, but netizens questioned whether they were removing the trees as part of the plan to proceed with the much debated Tanjung Aru Eco Development (TAED) project. Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Jafry Arifin said the trees were deemed unhealthy and posed safety risks. He said he got this information from Kota Kinabalu Mayor Noorliza Ag Alip.