SG Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang, Johor, is one of the pilot river reserve areas that will be upgraded into a recreational site under the National River Trail programme in an effort to conserve the river in the state.

Johor Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad said through the programme, the river reserve area would be developed as a recreational park with the construction of a river trail.

He said about 2,000km of affected rivers in the state have been selected from a total of 10,000km across the country to be developed into river trail routes and recreation sites for the local communities.

“The construction of river trails is one nature-based solution (NBS) approach to address socio-environmental challenges through sustainable management and use of the environment, and will be implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA).

“The presence of members of public in the area will prevent irresponsible parties from turning the river into a waste dump,” he told reporters after participating in the Gotong-Royong Sayangi Kim Kim programme in conjunction with World Water Day at Sg Kim Kim today.

Also present was the Ministry of Environment and Water secretary-general Ir Zaini Ujang.

According to Hasni, at the initial stage, the cost to beautify the area and build a trail on the Sg Kim Kim would cost RM500,000.

As Sg Kim Kim flows through an industrial area, he said the implementation of the trail programme required the cooperation and contribution of the factories around the area to ensure its success.

“Although the programme is a government initiative, corporate bodies, non-governmental organisations and the local community will be the leaders in making the selected trail areas their adopted baby, as well as implementing beautification (tree planting), maintenance (gotong-royong) and awareness programmes in the trail area,” he said.

Apart from the involvement of various agencies under KASA, four public institutions of higher learning, namely Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) are also participating to landscape the river trail.

Toxic pollution in Sg Kim Kim on March 7, 2019, affecting nearly 6,000 residents including school students, caused 111 schools in the Pasir Gudang area to be closed temporarily. – Bernama, March 20, 2021.