Only 15 pct of Sarawak’s rivers polluted

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KUCHING: Only 15 percent of the 50 rivers monitored by Sarawak’s Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) are classified as polluted, 62 per cent slightly polluted and the remaining 23 per cent considered as clean, the state legislative assembly was told today.

State Environment and Public Health Assistant Minister Datuk Peter Nansian said based on the Water Quality Index (WQI), the water quality of major rivers in Sarawak was generally good and within acceptable levels.

“The NREB, Department of Environment Sarawak and other government agencies have been monitoring the water quality of our major rivers throughout the state and set the policy to maintain them to Class IIB of the National Water Quality Standards of Malaysia,” he said when replying to See Chee How (Parti Keadilan Rakyat-Batu Lintang).

On programmes, plans and work undertaken by the various authorities to rehabiliate Sungei Tabuan here, he said it needed concerted efforts by all stakeholders, including government agencies, private sectors, non-governmental organisations and local communities to rehabiliate one of the state’s most polluted rivers.

He said a series of discussions and environmental dialogues had been carried out with the community leaders and Jawatankuasa kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) to assess the needs of the community in terms of their expectation, traning and requirements for the cleanliness of their villages.

The NREB together with the education department had also set up the Kelab Pencinta Alam Sekitar (PALS Club) at SK Tabuan, SK Tabuan Hilir and SMK Bandar Kuching No 2 so as to use these schools as agents of change to inculcate the habit of good environmental practices among students and their parents, he said.

Meanwhile, State Minister with Special Functions Tan Sri Adenan Satem said the Sarawak police would review deployment of additional personnel from time to time, depending on the needs and urgency.

However, he said, the Sarawak police had appealed for proposals for the construction of new police stations in  Spaoh, Beladin, Debak and Pusa to be reconsidered under the Second Rolling Plan after they not approved under the 10th Malaysia.

Robert Lawson Chuat (BN-Bukit Saban) had asked if the government had any plans to increase the number of police stations or beef up the number of police personnel in these rural towns to curb the prevalence of juvenile delinquencies due to glue sniffing, drug abuse and alcoholism.

Adenan also told Christina Chiew Wang See (DAP-Batu Kawa) that a total of 449 cases of violent and property crimes, including one murder, rape (16), robbery (60), house-breaking and theft (372) were reported in Batu Kawa from 2008-2010. – Bernama