An uphill battle to restore the polluted Sungai Tebrau

Determined duo: Hamid (right) and his friend Rafin Mat Tahir picking rubbish along the banks of Sungai Tebrau, Johor. — Bernama

JOHOR BARU: People are dumping garbage by the truckloads into Sungai Tebrau here causing its water to turn smelly and slimy.

The river, which used to be clean and rich in marine life, has been categorised as the 53rd dirtiest river in the world in 2021 by the non-governmental organisation (NGO), Ocean Cleanup.