KUCHING: Water pollution has been an issue of concern for so many years and the primary cause of water pollution is due to the amount of garbage thrown into the rivers.
Sarawak, which is surrounded by rivers and also known for its large land mass, has been fighting a battle to provide clean rivers.
Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) spokesperson, Lt Kol Ding Tiew Wong who works as an acting controller said that SRB has been active in providing awareness to the community, especially those staying near the rivers or still use the rivers as a mode of transportation as well as a daily necessity.
Interviewed by the New Sarawak Tribune, he added that SRB works together with stakeholders such as community leaders, non-governmental organisers (NGOs) and many others to assist in providing awareness to the community.
Wong said under the Sarawak Rivers Ordinance 1993, all lawful, necessary and reasonable practicable measures to keep the rivers or ports clean and free from filth are enforced.
“We try to ensure the rivers in a particular area are always clean and protected and safe through the River Safety, Cleanliness and Awareness Programme which are organised by the SRB.
“For now, the focus would be in areas where the river is still used by the community as a mode of transport for example tourism activities.
“For issues such as river pollution, where garbage is the culprit, the SRB thinks that the River Safety, Cleanliness and Awareness Programme involving the local communities would enable them to have a love and appreciation for the rivers around them,” he said.
Wong explained that in order to overcome this problem of garbage thrown into the rivers, the local councils must be prepared to provide a service to collect the garbage thrown into the rivers.
“But, because our state has many rivers and it is difficult to oversee everything. Sarawak River Board needs the public to be the eyes and ears for us.
“As of now, SRB has registered 7,000 members of ‘Friend of Rivers’ throughout Sarawak who would volunteer to assist us to preserve and clean the rivers.
“There are many benefits to a clean river, keeping it clean by using a manual trash interceptor and many more but it would cost a lot. Therefore the SRB thinks that the community’s awareness is important to ensure a clean river,” he said.
Wong added that by involving the local communities in the programmes organised, they may realise and understand a much more positive value of clean rivers to them.
He further gave an example, of the rivers in Padawan where SRB has conducted programmes there, and now Padawan is known as a tourist attraction and most visitors go there for leisure activities.
“Besides River Safety, Cleanliness and Awareness Programme , the SRB will be organising other programmes involving the communities especially the community leaders, NGOs and others such as the River Rehabilitation and Beautification Programmes, River Conservation Programmes, River Clearing and Cleaning Programmes, and River Landscape and Beautification Programme,” he added.
