KLANG, July 26 — Efforts to rehabilitate Sungai Klang under the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) initiative have reached 60 per cent completion and are expected to finish ahead of the 2028 target, said state executive councillor for infrastructure and agriculture Datuk Izham Hashim.
He said the project was initially scheduled for completion within five years, but the implementation of several related projects by the Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS) in the same area has enabled rehabilitation works to be carried out concurrently.
"We initially targeted five years to complete the entire project. However, after we started, the federal government, through JPS, also identified several projects in the surrounding area.
"Therefore, the state has divided the implementation, and we are confident that we can complete it sooner," he said after the SMG Mega Mangrove Cleanup 2026 programme, held in conjunction with World Mangrove Day at Mangrove Point, Raja Lumu Permanent Forest Reserve, here yesterday.
The programme brought together more than 1,600 volunteers with support from over 20 sponsors from various sectors.
Izham said rehabilitating Sungai Klang remained a major challenge as it is one of Selangor's key waterways, stretching more than 100km and flowing through Kuala Lumpur before re-entering the state.
He said Sungai Klang was prioritised for rehabilitation over other major rivers, such as Sungai Langat and Sungai Selangor, because of its importance to the state's development, economy and communities.
Since the SMG project began, nearly 100,000 tonnes of waste have been removed from Sungai Klang, he said.
"Preserving and rehabilitating Sungai Klang is a huge challenge because the river serves as a crucial lifeline for Selangor. It cannot fail.
"In many countries, rivers have been successfully rehabilitated. We want Sungai Klang to once again become an economic lifeline, a recreational and tourism destination, and a place that brings communities together."
Meanwhile, Izham said dredging Sungai Klang was among the key measures to increase the river's capacity and reduce flood risks.
"The last dredging of Sungai Klang was carried out in 2001, more than 20 years ago. Due to sedimentation and accumulated waste, the river's depth has been affected, with the average water depth now only about one metre."
He said collaboration between the state government, Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd and several strategic partners had so far removed more than 1.25 million cubic metres of sediment and waste from the river.
"Certainly, this will help with flood mitigation and enhance our capacity to manage flood risks," he said.
