Awareness of caring for environment still low

Volunteers picking up rubbish from Sungai Tebrau at Kampung Bakar Batu, Johor Baru, recently.

JOHOR BARU: The state government is finding it challenging to raise awareness among the public on the importance of environmental conservation.

Johor Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Zulkurnain Kamisan said the awareness level on the shared responsibility of caring for the environment was still quite low.

“This is why pollution is still happening and will continue to happen if the people do not get educated about it.

“The pollution will have adverse effects on us in the future and of course, affect the next generation,” he said.

Zulkurnain said the government would continue its efforts to raise awareness among the public and urged the people to take on the responsibility as well.

He added that about 500 tonnes of rubbish had been picked up from the river previously but it was still polluted with rubbish.

He also said that about RM100mil was needed to rehabilitate the river.

Recently, the Ops Bersih Sungai Tebrau, which took place in Kampung Bakar Batu, saw about 700 volunteers from Sukarelawan Darul Ta’zim working together to clean up the river.

The volunteers were from gover­nment and non-governmental agencies such as clubs and associations as well as from the surrounding communities.

Sungai Tebrau, one of the major rivers in the state, is one of the most polluted rivers in the country.

Pollution from rubbish and industrial discharge has affected the river ecosystem, so much so that fish and prawns no longer thrive in it.