BINTULU: The public must change the perception that rivers are the biggest rubbish dumps.
Instead, they should regard them as a vital source of life that should be preserved for future generations.
Jepak Assemblyman, Iskandar Turkee, said rivers have played an important role since the time of our ancestors, serving as the main transportation route before the construction of roads, as well as being a source of water and livelihood.
“The Iban community, for example, uses jelatong (floating platforms) to store their catch so it remains fresh. Rivers are the lifeblood of our communities, not a place for dumping rubbish or hazardous waste,” he said at the closing event of the Friends of Rivers’ Batang Kemena River Cleanliness Awareness Programme held at the Bintulu Passenger Terminal today.
He stressed that disposing of chemicals, oil, or rubbish into rivers will only increase the cost of water treatment and could even make water more expensive than petrol.
The Sarawak Rivers Board’s efforts through the Friends of Rivers’ awareness programme are timely and align with the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 introduced by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg towards green energy and environmental sustainability.
“Collaboration among all parties, especially community leaders, village chiefs, and the local population, is crucial to ensure that rivers are preserved. I call for such programmes to be held continuously through multi-party collaboration,” he said.
Iskandar also supported the view of Deputy Minister for Transport (Riverine and Marine), Datuk Henry Harry Jinep, that river cleanliness education should start at school level to instil love for the environment from a young age.
“Young generations must be taught to understand that preserving river cleanliness is a shared responsibility for the survival of our habitats and water sources,” he said.
