KAJANG, July 5 — The Rivers For Life programme organised by the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) continues to serve as a platform to raise public awareness of the importance of preserving rivers and aquatic ecosystems, while also addressing the proliferation of invasive fish species in Tasik Sungai Chua.
Its Deputy President Mohd Fareez Mohd Ariss @ Mohd Hatta said the annual programme, organised since 2018 under the Local Agenda 21 initiative, was held for the first time at Sungai Chua Recreational Park, attracting around 500 participants.
The location was selected after MPKj received complaints from members of the public about the increasing number of invasive fish species, which were feared to be disrupting the lake's ecological balance.
“The Rivers For Life programme has been an annual MPKj event since 2018 under Local Agenda 21, focusing on environmental conservation, particularly rivers, lakes, and retention ponds.
“Today, we chose Sungai Chua Lake because we received several complaints from visitors regarding the presence of a large number of invasive fish species. As such, we organised an invasive fish fishing activity to help restore the ecological balance of the lake,” he said.
Fareez was speaking to the media after officiating the programme's closing ceremony yesterday, which was also attended by Balakong state assemblyman Ong Chun Wei.
He added that MPKj also invited members of the public to participate in a five-hour fishing activity to assist the Hulu Langat District Fisheries Office in conducting an inventory of fish species in Sungai Chua Lake.
During the programme, nearly one tonne of fish was caught, including species such as suckermouth catfish, patin, tinfoil barb, and sultan fish.
However, the exact cause of the emergence of invasive fish species in the lake has yet to be determined.
“In reality, we cannot blame any particular party. But, it is possible that these fish were once kept as pets before being released, or that they escaped into the lake during floods.
“Programmes like this help raise public awareness of the dangers of releasing invasive fish species into local waterways and the importance of protecting native fish species. InsyaAllah (God willing), we will organise this programme again in September in conjunction with World Rivers Day,” Fareez said.
In addition to the invasive fish fishing activity, the programme featured a community clean-up of the recreational park, tree planting, the release of 100 snakehead fingerlings, batik painting, exhibitions by participating agencies, and competitions related to fisheries and environmental conservation.
The Rivers For Life 2026 programme was funded by the Housing and Local Government Ministry in collaboration with the Hulu Langat District Fisheries Office, the Irrigation and Drainage Department, the Selangor Water Management Authority, the Malaysia Civil Defence Force, and several other strategic partners.
