The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) deputy director-general (Business Sector) Amiruddin Alaldin highlighted that World Rivers Day is an annual event endorsed by the United Nations (UN), and celebrated globally in September.
"As citizens, we often pass by rivers without giving much thought to their condition. Once a year, this event provides Malaysians the chance to connect with their local rivers and assess their health.
"If the river is clean, we should enjoy it and consider ways to maintain its cleanliness. If it's polluted, we need to think about how we can contribute to restoring its sustainability," he said when appearing as a guest on Bernama TV's Apa Khabar Malaysia programme, recently.
Meanwhile, DID principal assistant director (River Basin Management Division) Saiful Rizan Sanusi emphasised that the celebration's objective is to inspire community involvement in the care and preservation of rivers.
Speaking on Bernama Radio's talk show titled 'Sungai dan Alur Dalam Komuniti Kita' (Rivers and Streams in Our Community), recently, he emphasised that achieving sustainability requires fostering a sense of ownership among the public, ensuring that rivers remain healthy for the well-being of future generations.
He added that the programme also seeks to educate and inform the community about the current state of rivers, highlighting the impact of pollution and the necessary actions to mitigate it and restore the rivers' natural condition.
On the choice of Sungai Tebrau as the celebration's venue, Saiful Rizan noted that, according to the Department of Environment's 2023 report, four of the river's six tributaries were categorised as polluted, classified as Class 3 (moderately polluted) and Class 4 (polluted).
He explained that the Sungai Tebrau Basin, located north of Johor city centre, spans from Kulai to Iskandar Puteri and extends to Johor Bahru, covering an area of 225 square kilometres. This basin includes the 33 km-long Sungai Tebrau and its six tributaries.
"The selection of Sungai Tebrau aligns with the government's aspirations to address the decline in the nation's river water quality," he said, adding that various efforts have been intensified at the community level, to raise awareness about the shared responsibility of protecting rivers and preventing pollution.
In the meantime, DID director (River Basin Management Division), Norlida Mamad @ Samad, said that this year's World Rivers Day theme, 'Sungai dan Alur Dalam Komuniti Kita' underscores the crucial role of community involvement in preserving the sustainability of rivers.
She noted that one of the event's highlights was the River Rangers programme, held in the morning, which engaged the local community and school students in learning how to assess river water quality. The programme also raised awareness about the causes of river pollution and ways to address them.
Additionally, Norlida mentioned that her division organised riverside recreational activities, such as galah panjang, chapteh, congkak, and a chicken-catching competition for public participation. In the afternoon, federal and state governments' agencies set up an exhibition as part of the festivities.
"The culmination of the celebration will take place tomorrow (Sept 21), with the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who also serves as the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, officiating the celebration. Johor Menteri Besar, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, is also expected to attend," she said.
"Several events are planned for the final day, including a river cruise, a children's colouring competition, the Rahmah MADANI Sale, and a fish market sale managed by the Department of Orang Asli Affairs Johor," she added.
-- BERNAMA
