PUTRAJAYA: Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology will be used to enhance river quality monitoring in the country.
This will be led by the National Water Research Institute of Malaysia (Nahrim), said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
“Nahrim has developed a smart AI system for the rating and classification of rivers in Malaysia.
“The system can be used at river basins nationwide by the relevant authorities to monitor water quality of the rivers,” he told a press conference after chairing the meeting of the committee on deterioration of river water quality here yesterday.
Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said the status on river quality nationwide and action plans of river basin management were among matters discussed during the meeting.
He said he four papers were presented at the meeting, the first to be held.
“This special committee plays an important role in ensuring that steps and management actions for the implementation of strategies to improve river water quality are taken in an integrated manner.
“This committee will also act as a platform to share information and best practices that can help improve river water quality,” he added.
Fadillah said the meeting also agreed to organise a workshop to refine matters related to river management, legislation, regulations, policies and implementation.
“We have agreed that a workshop will be held a month from today (yesterday) involving federal and state governments as well as local authorities.
“The committee also emphasised on the implementation of integrated river basin management action plan as tools to help to improve water quality,” he said.
He said 25 of the 672 rivers nationwide monitored by the Environment Department have been classified as polluted.
He said polluted rivers were detected in six states, namely Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Sarawak.
Among the polluted rivers are Sungai Bakar Arang in Kedah, Sungai Jawi (Penang), Sungai Buloh (Selangor), Sungai Kerayong (Kuala Lumpur) and Sungai Adong (Sarawak).
Fadillah said the polluted rivers are classified as Water Quality Index of Class III and Class IV, due to various sources of organic pollutants, including wastewater from industrial, domestic and commercial activities.
