Len explains why some rivers in Sarawak look black

SERIAN: Several rivers in Sarawak, categorised among the most polluted in Malaysia, are not polluted by man-made activities.

Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh said these rivers appear black due to the peat soil at their base, not industrial contaminants.

He suggested a centralised sewage system to improve the water quality of affected rivers.

“The water in the river is naturally black. It is peat soil. It’s not because of industrial pollution.

“Previously, sewage water went directly into the river without treatment. We need a centralised sewage system to ensure the sewage water is treated before being released into the river, meeting the required standards,” he said.

He told reporters this after officiating at the closing ceremony of the state-level Environmental Education Workshop for Teacher Advisors of the Environmental Lovers Club (PALS) at Roxy Hotel here. today.

Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said 25 out of 672 rivers monitored by the Department of Environment (DOE) are categorised as polluted.

These rivers, located in Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, and Sarawak, are affected by industrial activities, sewage treatment plants, urbanisation, agriculture, housing, and livestock farming.

At a press conference following the first meeting of the National River Water Quality Degradation Special Committee (JKKAS), Fadillah revealed that of the 672 rivers nationwide, 486 (72 per cent) are clean, 161 (24 per cent) are moderate, and 25 (4 per cent) are polluted.

The meeting agreed to establish a special committee at the state level and to hold a workshop within a month to address river management and policies.

Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, said the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM) is developing an artificial intelligence smart system (AIR3S) for rating and classifying river statuses in Malaysia.

This system aims to monitor and improve river water quality across the country.