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New Straits Times

Domestic waste threatens water source for Klang Valley

BANGI: Approximately 80 per cent of the pollution in Sungai Alur Ilmu, located near Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), is attributed to domestic waste, including plastic bottles, bags, and discarded banners. Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Ching Too Kim warned that if the issue is not addressed, the contamination could spread to the larger Sungai Langat. "Sungai Alur Ilmu is a small tributary that flows into Sungai Langat, which supplies 20 per cent of the Klang Valley's water. It is therefore crucial that we protect this river to prevent further contamination of Sungai Langat," he said. "We have even collected decomposing plastic bags that had already broken down into microplastics. Imagine if those plastics enter the main river — fish eat them, and eventually, we consume those fish. Our bodies then end up filled with microplastics," he said. He made the remarks during the launch of the Kutip Sampah Sambil Riadah clean-up programme and the Don't Be a Litterbug campaign, jointly organised by the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) and the ministry recently. The initiative involved 50 participants, including students, government agencies, and industry representatives, aiming to raise public awareness of responsible waste management and the importance of keeping rivers clean. He said similar activities will continue regularly, either fortnightly or monthly, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations and other associations to educate the public on environmental responsibility. "We want to raise awareness that keeping rivers clean is a shared responsibility, not just the duty of government agencies. "If there's no water for just one hour, people will start complaining. So, before it reaches that point, we must take the simplest preventive step — don't throw rubbish into our rivers," he stressed. He added that Sungai Alur Ilmu is still classified as a Class II river, which is clean and safe to touch. In contrast, Sungai Langat is now considered a Class III river, which may pose health risks upon contact. "We don't want Sungai Langat to end up like some rivers in Penang and Johor, where the water is no longer treatable," he said.