ALOR STAR: The Kedah government has assured that it will actively collaborate with the federal government and local council authorities to address river pollution issues in the state.
State Public Works, Natural Resources, Water Supply, and Resources and Environmental Committee chairman Mohamad Yusoff Zakaria acknowledged that there are instances of river pollution in the state, but stressed that the situation is not as severe or frequent as in some other states.
He highlighted that Johor has the highest level of pollution, with nine rivers scoring below 59 on the Water Quality Index (WQI) scale, followed by Penang with six rivers, Sarawak and Kelantan with four each, and Selangor and Kuala Lumpur with three each.
"While it is true that some pollution exists, as reflected in the WQI readings, which range from 0 to 59 for polluted rivers. The WQI for Sungai Bakar Arang is 58 and Sungai Petani is 53.
"Nevertheless, the number of polluted rivers in Kedah is relatively lower compared to other states, with only two rivers deemed polluted.
"Kedah is committed to working closely with the federal government and local councils to address river pollution through the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) programme and other initiatives," he said when contacted today.
A higher WQI scale rating indicates a lower level of pollution in the river.
Yusoff stressed that the state government is dedicated to tackling river pollution by establishing a special committee on river pollution.
"The state government will also engage with the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry and the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry in an upcoming workshop," he added.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said 25 out of 672 rivers nationwide monitored by the Environment Department (DoE) are classified as polluted.
Fadillah, who is also the energy transition and water transformation minister, said the polluted rivers are found in six states — Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, and Sarawak.
He said 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.
Meanwhile, Kedah Water Resources Board director Syed Amaluddin Hafeez Syed Musa assured that the state government is taking proactive measures in addressing the concerns.
"Kedah is aware of the pollution challenges in the state and is taking significant steps to mitigate and manage them effectively along with collaboration with the DoE and local authorities.
"Our efforts are ongoing, and we are committed to improving our raw water quality for the people," he added.