THE River of Life project, which aims to revitalise the areas near Sungai Gombak and Sungai Klang in the city centre, is unlikely to be completed this year and has not met its objectives, according to the Auditor-General’s Report 2/2024.

The report stated that up until July last year, 135 out of 159 projects had been completed, eight projects are still being implemented, and 12 projects are at the pre-implementation stage.

“Two projects which had their contracts terminated have yet to appoint a new contractor and another two projects were cancelled,” the report said.

As of December 2023, RM3.915 bil had been spent out of the allocated RM4.363 bil (89.7%).

Its auditors further found various infrastructures have broken down, while the Klang River has not been cleaned.

“All objectives of the River of Life project have not been achieved, especially the objective to increase the quality of the river to Class IIB (suitable for recreational purposes),” Auditor-General Datuk Wan Soraya Wan Mohd Rodzi said in the report launched on Thursday (July 4).

“147 river cleaning assets were found non-operational due to damage, (being) demolished, or unusable. The repair period for damaged assets takes up to four years and three months.”

It was also revealed that only 50 out of 296 sewage treatment plants have been rationalised or upgraded.

The delays in the readiness of three projects and the termination of one sewage project have also resulted in estimated cost increases of up to RM234.72 mil.

The report added that river relocation works were not implemented along a 2.2-km stretch of Sungai Gombak.

“In addition, the construction and repair of two collapsible weir units totalling RM33.37 mil did not achieve objectives as one unit is not operational, while one unit failed to be completed,” it said. - July 4, 2024 

https://focusmalaysia.my/report-river-of-life-project-will-not-be-completed-this-year-despite-already-spending-89-7-of-its-allocations/