Twenty-two rivers very polluted, Dewan Rakyat told

A total 22 rivers nationwide are categorised as very polluted or Class IV, according to the Ministry Natural Resources and Environment.

It said that based on a report of the Department of Environment (DOE), 17 of these rivers were in Johor, three in Penang and one each in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan.

"Class IV water is only suitable for irrigation. But no river monitored by DOE has reached Class V," said the ministry in a written reply to a question from Normala Abdul Samad (BN-Pasir Gudang) in the Dewan Rakyat today.

According to the ministry, only five per cent of the rivers monitored by DOE had reached the Class IV and Class V (almost dead) levels.

The ministry said the "Love Our River' campaign carried out from 1993 to 2004 had created awareness on the need to look after rivers and boosting river water quality.

It said the effectiveness of the campaign had contributed towards measures by DOE to boost river water quality.

"A total 58 rivers recorded better quality water in 2004 compared to 32 in 1993," the ministry said. - BERNAMA