PUTRAJAYA, June 10 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof revealed today that 25 rivers, out of the 672 monitored nationwide by the Department of Environment (DOE), are classified as polluted. These rivers span across six states, including Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, and Sarawak. Among the polluted rivers are Sungai Bakar Arang in Kedah, Sungai Jawi in Penang, Sungai Buloh in Selangor, Sungai Kerayong in Kuala Lumpur, and Sungai Adong in Sarawak.
The classification is based on the Water Quality Index (WQI), with various sources of organic pollutants identified, including wastewater from industrial, domestic, and commercial activities. Chairing the first meeting of the committee on deterioration of river water quality, Fadillah stressed the importance of an integrated river basin management (IRBM) action plan and announced plans to establish a special committee at the state level to address the issue.
Collaboration between state and federal governments, private sectors, and NGOs will be crucial in implementing solutions to improve river water quality, he emphasized.
