Christina said pollution, especially waste, and climate change that causes erosion are among the main challenges in managing the rivers in Sabah.
Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry (KePKAS), through the Environment Protection Department (EPD), is developing a clear and comprehensive roadmap for managing rivers in the State.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said this includes efforts to protect water quality and ensure the sustainability of the State’s river ecosystems.
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“Rivers play a crucial role in our daily lives. Beyond providing essential water resources, they support various socio-economic activities such as fishing and tourism which rely heavily on healthy river systems.
“Moreover, the river ecosystem, including riparian areas (those immediate zones surrounding the rivers), must be protected to ensure ecological stability and the preservation of biodiversity, especially as habitats for wildlife.
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“In the construction sector, the demand for river sand and stone is rising in tandem with the growth of development activities in Sabah.
Therefore, it is imperative that we manage our rivers responsibly and sustainably to safeguard our environment,” she said when officiating the Workshop on the Way Forward for River Management in Sabah at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, here, Monday.
The workshop serves as a crucial platform for formulating an integrated plan for river management.
Five presentations related to various aspects of river management were delivered by representatives from different government departments, technical agencies and experts in the field during the workshop.
The participants represented a diverse range of State and Federal government departments and agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and academia.
“I greatly appreciate the commitment of everyone as we collaborate to enhance river management in Sabah.
“With your active participation, I am confident that effective strategies will be developed to address the existing challenges. I encourage all participants to engage fully, share their knowledge and experiences, and contribute to practical management proposals.
“With the cooperation and commitment of all stakeholders, I believe today’s workshop will positively impact river management in Sabah. The recommendations from today’s workshop will be presented to the relevant authorities for further action.
“Let us work together to ensure that the management of rivers in Sabah is carried out holistically and sustainably, for the benefit of all of us and future generations,” she said while congratulating the EPD for the initiative and thanking all the participants and speakers for their involvement and commitment.
When asked during a press conference later, Liew said the State’s rivers are generally in moderate condition.
She said pollution, especially waste, and climate change that causes erosion are among the main challenges in managing the rivers in Sabah.
“We should come up with some conditions or rules where we can together move forward. Because otherwise, if we let it (the rivers) just be polluted like that, we’re going to be in trouble in future.
“The most important is the public must also know and understand that we all have a duty to guide the generation to come.
The rivers are not to be simply overlooked. People must stop throwing rubbish, don’t dispose of your rubbish in the river, because this is your life.
“River supports life. We all depend on river water. A polluted river does not help us at all. Until today, I still find some of the rivers not in a very good condition...we need improvement and we need guidance from the experts,” she said.
