Activities Report Jul 2000 Newsletter
Stop Misusing the Klang River.
The Malaysian Nature Society
(MNS) is concerned over the recent flash flood that affected families along
the banks of the Klang River in Kg. Sg. Tepi and other parts of the city,
and would like to express our humble sympathies to the victims.
Contrary to what is expressed
by some quarters, MNS feel that the JPS should not be solely blamed, as
other factors also contribute to the flash floods. Firstly, it should be
understood that the function of the JPS is not only limited to the deepening
of river channels. It is that, and more. As custodian of the Klang Gates
Dam, the JPS had to release excess water, causing the rivers to overflow,
and causing floods. However, the alternative, a possible dam break, may
be even worse.
We should remember that excessive
construction projects along the Klang River also contribute by discharging
heavy sediment loads, raising riverbeds, and making them shallower.
Deepening of rivers may not be the solution, as full compliance to existing
environmental mitigation plans are also necessary to reduce the sediment
load. If not, river deepening exercises will simply be overwhelmed by sediment
from construction activities.
The abuse of river reserves is
another issue. When they are supposed to be buffers against river erosion,
our river reserves, instead, have been encroached for illegal settlements,
developed, and converted to other uses and are no longer safe against water
level rises. To add to the problems, our river reserves are not gazetted
and the JPS therefore, do not have any legal authority for enforcement.
Kuala Lumpur, 12 May, 2000
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Created on 5th Jul 2000