Kuching North Datuk Bandar calls for river management to be carried out in a more holistic manner

KUCHING (July 25): Departments or agencies of both the federal and Sarawak governments that are directly involved in river management are urged to join hands to ensure that management of rivers in the state is more holistic.

Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) Datuk Bandar Hilmy Othman said all stakeholders need to pay attention and focus in addition to taking continuous action.

He reminded that this is to ensure that the management of rivers can be carried out sustainably, to support the national economic development agenda and the well-being of the people.

“It is my wish to see all parties, especially the federal government, state government and departments/agencies directly involved in river management to join hands to ensure the implementation of river management is carried out in a more holistic manner.

“People should also be aware that a dirty river will cause the aquatic life in it to be affected and polluted.

“This will indirectly affect and contaminate the food chain and cause various types of diseases and also pollute the environment,” he said when speaking at the Plogging Walk and Clean Waterway Campaign 2024 yesterday.

The event was launched by Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi at the Jalan Haji Taha car park here.

According to Hilmy, the Plogging Walk programme is the third to be held after the Plogging Walk in Taman Won, Matang and Kampung Semariang Batu last week.

He said the Plogging Walk is an event under the Clean Waterway Campaign held in conjunction with Kuching City Cleanliness Month 2024.

“For me it is very meaningful because this is a campaign that encourages the awareness and involvement of the city’s citizens in the care of the surrounding area.

“Various interesting activities have been held before, including plogging walk, aerobics and a competition to collect the most garbage with the participation of local residents who also work together to ensure the surrounding area is beautiful and clean,” he said.

Hilmy said the objective of the campaign was to create awareness and create a desire to preserve and love the rivers in the city and even introduce measures and practices that maintain the natural beauty of the rivers.

He also said that the main initiative in ensuring the cleanliness of the rivers in particular and the cleanliness of the environment in general is to foster community awareness of the importance of preserving rivers.