KUCHING, June 9 — Malaysia adopts a comprehensive approach, rather than just treating the problem, to solve the issue of river pollution in the country, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said preventive measures against river pollution have been actively pursued through state governments, the local authorities, and by establishing district-level committees to ensure river ecosystems are preserved.
"These preventive measures can only be carried out at the community level, so here is where we bring in every agency involved and raise awareness so that everyone feels responsible for protecting rivers... a small action, yet it can save our rivers from being polluted," he told the press after officiating the Dragon Boat Festival today.
Fadillah was responding to an environmental expert's views, who said Malaysia tends to treat rather than prevent river pollution issues.
He added that the recently established Special Committee to Address Deterioration of River Water Quality at the state level will detail integrated enforcement measures involving state, Federal, and non-governmental bodies.
Furthermore, the direct disposal of sewage into rivers, especially in rural areas, is among the factors contributing to river pollution.
"There are still many villages and settlements along the rivers, including illegal ones, so the discharge (of sewage) goes directly into the river. it should be cleaned up and prevented from being discharged directly into rivers," Fadillah said.
On Thursday (June 6), the Deputy Prime Minister announced that 25 out of 672 rivers identified in Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, and Sarawak were categorised as polluted, involving the classification of river water quality (IKA) as Class Three and Class Four.
Additionally, 72 per cent or 486, of the monitored rivers by the Department of Environment were categorised as clean, while 24 per cent, or 161 rivers, were classified as moderately clean.
— Bernama
