JOHOR BARU: There has been a slight improvement in Malaysia's river pollution levels, with the number of polluted rivers dropping from 29 to 25 last year.

Environment Department (DOE) director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said this reduction highlights its ongoing efforts to monitor and improve the quality of the nation’s rivers.

“We continue to monitor river water quality nationwide (and) enforce regulations under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 to address... pollution.

“Our enforcement efforts remain robust, targeting any (polluters) to ensure they comply with environmental standards,” he said after a programme at SK Bukit Mutiara here on Tuesday (Nov 5).

He added that some pollution sources fall outside the DOE’s direct authority.

“For these cases, we collaborate with other government agencies to take action, aiming to see improvements in river water quality across Malaysia.

“Some of the main sources of river pollution include untreated sewage from treatment plants, waste from livestock farming, industrial discharge, and pollutants from development projects.

“Industrial waste, for instance, must be treated to meet legal standards before being discharged, while stormwater runoff from construction sites often carries contaminants into rivers,” he said.

On June 6, Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said 72% of rivers nationwide are in the "clean" category.

This meant 486 out of the 672 rivers surveyed by DOE were clean, he added.

Fadillah noted that 25 rivers or 4% were polluted, while 161 (24%) were of moderate water quality.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/11/05/fewer-polluted-rivers-nationwide-this-year-says-doe