KUCHING: Political Secretary to the Premier, Kho Teck Wan said the government should tackle pollution in all small rivers like Sungai Laru.
Despite regular cleaning up, Sungai Laru, she said, still had a lot of floating debris, mainly plastic waste.
Kho said the government, through the Sarawak River Board, was studying how to better manage the rubbish that floated up to Sungai Laru from the sea and to other small rivers in the Tabuan Dayak and Stutong areas.
“These rivers are rich with wildlife including many species of birds and crocodiles. If managed properly, they will not be polluted,” she told reporters on Sunday at the launch of a river cleaning programme at Kampung Sungai Laru.
Kho was representing Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Seri Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian at the event.
She went on to say that Sungai Laru could have been a pristine river and people could cruise and enjoy the scenery.
Kho added the Department of Irrigation and Drainage and Sarawak River Board were working to ensure that the river was not polluted.
“Despite clearing of debris almost daily along the river, more needs to be done as some 30 fishermen at Kampung Sungai Laru depend on from this river and sea for their livelihood.
“The government will continue to assist with subsidies and allowances when they are unable to go fishing but we also want the river here to be clean and have a sustainable environment,” she said.
