By Danial Dzulkifly
KLANG, May 28 — The Selangor government has no choice but to clean up Sungai Klang as the state intends to use the main waterway to extract water for daily use by the end of 2025.
State executive councillor for infrastructure and agriculture Izham Hashim said while the task at hand is monumental, it is crucial to ensure water security for the state not just for modern needs but also for future generations.
“I keep saying many times to our management, failure is not an option here.
“We have to make Sungai Klang a model where development can coexist with nature, because water is the source of life.
“So, if we can't do it for Sungai Klang, don't expect that we can do it for other rivers in Selangor. It is a very ambitious project, but we have no choice,” he said, referring to the two other major rivers in the state, Sungai Langat in the south and Sungai Selangor in the north.
Izham was speaking at the sponsorship reception ceremony between Affin Group and Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) for the river cleaning vessel Interceptor 002, at the Pengkalan Batu Jetty, here, today.
While efforts to clean Sungai Klang have been initiated for some time, they have been carried out more holistically since 2010, as part of a major project by then Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
Izham said it is the state government’s aspiration to restore Sungai Klang, unlocking its full potential for recreational, economic and tourism activities as well as a new raw water source.
The restoration is also part of the state’s plan to ensure a sustainable and continuous water supply and would complement the completion of the entire Rasau Water Supply Scheme, which is projected to produce a total capacity of 1,400 million litres per day (MLD).
In his speech, Izham also thanked Affin Group for its sponsorship in supporting the state’s effort to clean up the river, adding that Selangor hopes for more partners to help it achieve its objective.
“We have a long journey ahead but with the participation of Affin Group as well as others, we hope to do better,” he said.
Later, when speaking to the press, Affin Bank Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah Wan Ali expressed the institution's advocacy towards a clean Klang river and gave its commitment to continue supporting it in years to come.
One year sponsorship
Earlier in the ceremony, Affin Group announced its partnership with LLSB, the master developer for the Sungai Klang rehabilitation project, to sponsor the maintenance and operations of the Interceptor 002 river cleaning vessel.
The sponsorship amount, which was undisclosed, will cover the interceptor 002 operations for one year.
Previously, it was reported that approximately RM3.2 million was sponsored for the Ocean Cleanup Interceptor project at Sungai Klang in 2022 by renowned international rock band Coldplay.
The Ocean Cleanup is an international non-profit organisation that develops and scales technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic through a dual strategy: intercepting plastic in rivers to stop the inflow and cleaning up what has already accumulated in the ocean.
Founded in 2013, the organisation developed Interceptor Solutions to halt and extract riverine plastic before it reaches the ocean.
The initiative to clean Sungai Klang has resulted in the removal of two million metric tonnes of waste since 2016.
Also present at today’s event include Affin Bank Bhd chairman Datuk Agil Natt, senior bank management as well as representatives from Ocean Cleanup.
