‘SUNGAI KIM KIM WILL BE REJUVENATED’
We plan to make it an attractive location which can be visited by residents, says DID D-G
SUNGAI Kim Kim, which came to public attention following a toxic pollution incident in 2019, may be transformed into a public recreational area.
Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohd Ghazali said work to rejuvenate the river and plans to develop it further will be carried out with other agencies including the Environment and Water Ministry.
He said the key issue which needed to be addressed was ensuring that no illegal dumping could take place at the river in future.
“We acknowledge that the pollution level at Sungai Kim Kim is deplorable.
“However, we are doing all we can to clean the river up with help from various quarters including the local community.
“We plan to make the river an
attractive location which can be visited by residents. We will clean it up, kilometre by kilometre.
“Plans are also afoot to beautify the riverbanks so more people will appreciate our water resources,” he said after attending a gotongroyong to clean and beautify Denai Sungai Air Hitam in Kampung Dato Abu Bakar Baginda, Kajang, near here yesterday.
Also present at the event was Environment and Water Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang.
The toxic pollution which struck Sungai Kim Kim on March 7, 2019, affected 6,000 residents of Pasir Gudang.
Among the most affected were
students, as the toxic fumes led to the temporary closure of 111 nearby schools.
Investigations later showed that a 1.5km stretch of Sungai Kim Kim had been polluted.
Subsequent clean-up work required 1,500 tonnes of the river water to be filtered, and 900 tonnes of toxic waste was disposed of.
However, Sungai Kim Kim last week became polluted once more, with noxious oil spots seen on the river’s surface.
Asked on the possibility of rehabilitating the river, which many had regarded as the most polluted in Malaysia, Nor Hisham said he was confident that it could be done, provided the problem of pollution was
eliminated.
“With proper enforcement of laws against dumping waste into rivers and other actions, it is possible to bring Sungai Kim Kim back to life. This is something we are willing to try.”
Meanwhile, Zaini said court action against those accused of the 2019 pollution of Sungai Kim Kim was set to continue next month.