Youths initiate efforts to save Pegalan River from pollution
KENINGAU: Twenty-five youths from Kampung Sungoi Youth Club (KBKS) organized a rafting activity to rescue the Pegalan river from pollution through their Sayang Sungai programme.
The programme which was organized by KBKS with the cooperation of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Sabah and the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) of Kampung Sungoi was officiated by Bingkor Community Development Leader, Kennedy Jie John on Tuesday.
The club Chairman, Victor Enus who organized the programme since January 29 said the purpose is to save the river from pollution.
He said the participants were divided into four groups with a rafting event starting from Rompon Park along the Pegalan river up to Kampung Kepayan Lama.
Throughout the programme, Kennedy also assisted in setting up billboards with the village people and released fish fry into the Pegalan river.
Kennedy described the programme as a gesture of concern by the youth who saw the need to protect the river from pollution at all times.
He said environmental issues, particularly pollution of rivers in this area is critical and if not controlled, these rivers that are the main sources of livelihood for the villagers will be contaminated and unusable.
“There are several rivers that were previously a source of livelihood for the people which now cannot be used due to contamination by human actions.
“The government also wants to raise awareness so that the cleanliness of rivers in the state will continue to be preserved,” he said.
Kennedy said a lot of pollution arose from the activities of people living close to the riverbank.
He said river pollution could harm the people’s health and believes that an awareness campaign on the river by Kampung Sungoi youths should be followed by the people and the youth in this area.
He hoped that the programme could continue from time to time so that Pegalan river would always be in a hygienic condition.
Present at the ceremony were Keningau Ministry of Youth and Sports Officer, Edwin Kihob, JKKK chairman, Jufry Joe and the village head, Dusing Jawi.