KUCHING: Mohammad Hamidi emerged winner of a fishing competition held in conjunction with the 25th anniversary celebration of Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) yesterday.
His catch of a 321 gramme fish won him a whopping RM1,000 cash prize.
In second place was Chang Fatt Chien (274 grammes) and Martini Abdul Rahim (211 grammes) won third place. They walked home with RM700 and RM500 respectively.
A total of 137 anglers took part in the competition jointly organised with Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) and Japan Clean and Beautiful Murasaki River. Those finishing in fourth to tenth place each received RM100 for their efforts.
Among the guests at the event were DBKU principal deputy director Mohamed Khaidir Abang, Japan Clean and Beautiful Murasaki River acting president Masato Morishita and NREB environmental quality acting deputy controller Paul Bond Ferdinand Chamberlin.
At the event, the guests released a total of 140 fish into the Sarawak River at Esplanade, Kuching Waterfront.
Paul, who represented NREB controller Justine Jok Jau Emang, said the competition aimed to spread public awareness on the importance of having a clean environment and river.
“River is a natural flowing watercourse and it is vital to us as it contributes to our lives in many ways. It also supports wildlife and its habitats.
“While the values of rivers are clear to everyone, what we fail to see sometimes is that human activities may have negative impacts on rivers.”
He added that of particular significance was water pollution caused by household, commercial and industrial activities.
“Emission and disposal of solid wastes, grey water and sewage affect the river quality while impacting its use for consumption and as a habitat for animals and plants.”
To mitigate such harmful effects, the state government has implemented a centralised sewerage treatment plant and regularly desludging septic tanks while floating wastes are trapped to ensure clean water flow and healthy river.
“The symbolic release of small fishes into the Sarawak River is our desire to convey a message that rivers are a habitat for aquatic life such as fish, shrimp and others, so let us protect the river together,” Paul said.
