MP: Johor has nation's most polluted rivers
Published: Sep 26, 2014 2:30 PM | Updated: Sep 26, 2014 3:00 PM
MP for Kulai Teo Nie Ching said Johor's rivers are so polluted that it ranks as the country's most water polluted state.
MP for Kulai Teo Nie Ching said Johor's rivers are so polluted that it ranks as the country's most water polluted state.
According to the interim National Water Quality Standard (INWQS), which measures the quality of water in Malaysia, it indicated that eight of Johor's waterways sit in Class IV.
“Class IV shows that the river is un-livable for fishes and other marine organisms,” said Teo in a statement today, also adding the the INWQS had measured four other rivers in Malaysia with a Class IV standard.
She cited a parliamentary written reply by the Natural Resources and Environment minister G Palanivel, where he said that under INWQS's classification no rivers are ranked under Class V yet.
Teo's statement was also in reference to the water tariff hike proposed by Johor public works, rural and regional development committee chairperson Hasni Mohammad to combat high cost of water treatment.
On Sept 23, Hasni announced that the state would soon decide on the new water tariff hikes.
The hikes are expected to rise by 10 and 12 percent in the next few months due to the high costs of water treatment, doubled by the growing pollution and with this year’s power tariff hikes.
Hasni defended the decision, saying that “the proposed water tariff hike was inevitable as the costs to safeguard water resources from pollution had doubled over the years”.
However, the state government, according to Teo, should in fact go after those who pollute the water resources instead of burdening Johoreans with the hike.
“If the rivers were polluted by some irresponsible parties, they are the ones who should be held responsible for the additional operational costs of water treatment plants," Teo countered.
The DAP assistant national public secretary also added that “the state should improve its efficiency to combat water pollution, and to provide cheaper and quality piped water.”
“It's sad to note that not only are Johoreans paying the highest water tariff, our rivers are also the most polluted in the nation,” she added.
INQWS states that rivers classified under Class 1 are the “best”, while Class V are the “worst”.
The Class IV polluted rivers in Johor are Sungai Air Baloi, Sungai Kempas, Sungai Sebulung, Sungai Buluh, Sungai Danga, Sungai Tukang Batu, Sungai Sengkuang and Sungai Ayer Merah.
According to the interim National Water Quality Standard (INWQS), which measures the quality of water in Malaysia, it indicated that eight of Johor's waterways sit in Class IV.
“Class IV shows that the river is un-livable for fishes and other marine organisms,” said Teo in a statement today, also adding the the INWQS had measured four other rivers in Malaysia with a Class IV standard.
She cited a parliamentary written reply by the Natural Resources and Environment minister G Palanivel, where he said that under INWQS's classification no rivers are ranked under Class V yet.
Teo's statement was also in reference to the water tariff hike proposed by Johor public works, rural and regional development committee chairperson Hasni Mohammad to combat high cost of water treatment.On Sept 23, Hasni announced that the state would soon decide on the new water tariff hikes.
The hikes are expected to rise by 10 and 12 percent in the next few months due to the high costs of water treatment, doubled by the growing pollution and with this year’s power tariff hikes.
Hasni defended the decision, saying that “the proposed water tariff hike was inevitable as the costs to safeguard water resources from pollution had doubled over the years”.
However, the state government, according to Teo, should in fact go after those who pollute the water resources instead of burdening Johoreans with the hike.
“If the rivers were polluted by some irresponsible parties, they are the ones who should be held responsible for the additional operational costs of water treatment plants," Teo countered.
The DAP assistant national public secretary also added that “the state should improve its efficiency to combat water pollution, and to provide cheaper and quality piped water.”
“It's sad to note that not only are Johoreans paying the highest water tariff, our rivers are also the most polluted in the nation,” she added.
INQWS states that rivers classified under Class 1 are the “best”, while Class V are the “worst”.
The Class IV polluted rivers in Johor are Sungai Air Baloi, Sungai Kempas, Sungai Sebulung, Sungai Buluh, Sungai Danga, Sungai Tukang Batu, Sungai Sengkuang and Sungai Ayer Merah.
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