A total of 33 rivers nationwide, representing 4.9 per cent of those monitored, were classified as polluted based on data recorded last year, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability.
Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said that out of 672 rivers monitored across the country, none were categorised under Class V, the most severe classification under the Water Quality Index (WQI), indicating that no river had reached a critically damaged state.
He said this in a written reply to Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan (PN-Merbok), who sought clarification on the number of polluted and critical rivers, as well as recovery targets outlined under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
Arthur explained that repeated pollution at the same river locations was largely driven by population growth and accelerated industrial and economic expansion, both of which exert increasing pressure on water resources and overall river quality.
According to analysis by the Department of Environment (DoE) covering the period from 2020 to 2024, pollution loads originating from pig farming activities and sewage treatment systems remained persistent and were among the main contributors to river pollution nationwide.
He also pointed to poor compliance among certain factory and industrial operators, noting that irresponsible practices, including illegal waste disposal and breaches of environmental regulations, continued to pose serious risks to both environmental sustainability and public health.
“The ministry, through the DoE, will continue to strengthen monitoring and enforcement efforts to curb environmental pollution,” he said, adding that river pollution could not be addressed by enforcement alone.
Arthur stressed that a holistic and integrated approach involving cooperation between the federal government, state governments and local authorities was crucial to improving and sustaining river water quality in the long term.
At present, the ministry monitors river conditions nationwide through 1,353 manual monitoring stations and 30 automatic stations, reflecting ongoing efforts to ensure early detection and better management of pollution sources as Malaysia works towards its environmental targets under the 12MP.
