Cycling to clean Sungai Melaka

The water bikes developed by a group of UTeM lecturers and students feature a trash trap to clean up floating debris.

University’s hydro bikes seen as possible health, transport products

MELAKA River and Coastal Development Corporation (PPSPM) will conduct a comprehensive study into the use of smart hydro bikes in Sungai Melaka.

State science, technology, innovation and digital communication committee chairman Datuk Fairul Nizam Roslan said this water bicycle could not only help PPSPM carry out cleaning work along Sungai Melaka but could also be used as an eco-health product and new transport system along the river.

“I have been informed that the 10 water bicycles, developed by a group of lecturers and students of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), will be placed in Sungai Melaka to be used by the corporation to clean the river.

“If there is a need for PPSPM to increase the number of water bicycles, we at state government level have no problem, because it can also add another new tourism product in conjunction with Visit Melaka Year 2024 which tourists can use to explore Sungai Melaka,” he said, as reported by Bernama.

Fairul said this after launching the Smart Hydro Bike: Conserving Sungai Melaka project with PPSPM and UTeM in Melaka.

UTeM deputy vice-chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) Associate Prof Datuk Dr Sabri Mohamad Sharif said the water bicycles were developed at a cost of between RM2,000 and RM5,000 each and took two months to complete.

The bicycle is made of an aluminium alloy frame and equipped with a trash trap system to clean up debris floating on the surface of the water.

He added that there were safety features such as a device to track the location of the bicycle for monitoring and data collection based on the Internet of Things.

“The water bicycle is one of the innovative products of UTeM researchers to contribute to the community, as well as the Melaka government.

“UTeM is ready to commercialise water bicycles more widely if there is demand from any party interested in using this innovative product,” he said.