KUALA LUMPUR: The launch of the MADANI Smart Water campaign today marks a turning point in Malaysia’s nationwide movement to safeguard the country’s water resources through a comprehensive, progressive and high-impact initiative, Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, said.
Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) Minister, said the campaign is not just a communications initiative but a collective national effort to raise awareness and promote a cultural shift across all segments of society.
“Today’s event is not merely a campaign launch, but the beginning of a larger national movement aligned with various regional and global initiatives such as Singapore’s ‘Every Drop Counts’, Europe’s ‘Water for Life’, and the United Nations’ ‘Water Action Decade’.
“Education on sustainability is no longer optional. It’s an urgent necessity. The habits we adopt today will shape the future of generations to come,” he said in his speech during the official launch.
The campaign, he said, is built on four key pillars, namely sustainability, preservation, advocacy, and nurture, encompassing education, stakeholder engagement, and a holistic shift in public behaviour.
Fadillah stressed that the MADANI Smart Water campaign empowers individuals as agents of change by making water conservation a shared responsibility, thus strengthening the role of the people in ensuring the nation’s water sustainability.
“This campaign serves as a bridge between national policy and behavioural change, aimed at smarter and more effective water management.
“Without a sufficient, clean and safe water supply, the country’s development plans will be severely compromised,” he warned.
Despite Malaysia being blessed with high annual rainfall, Fadillah noted, the nation still faces serious challenges, such as river pollution, unregulated development, and rising water demand due to population growth and urbanisation.
He also pointed to climate change as a growing threat, contributing to erratic phenomena such as off-season floods and disruptions to raw water sources.
Fadillah further disclosed that PETRA is actively enhancing enforcement against water pollution, including efforts to amend the Water Services Industry Act 2006, expand monitoring systems in strategic areas, and roll out various education initiatives and public awareness campaigns. – BERNAMA
