Cleaning up Malaysia’s rivers of life – Features – Al Jazeera English.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – In the hills to the east of Kuala Lumpur, the Klang River is clean enough for visitors to play in. But just a few hundred metres downstream, the water darkens and rubbish clogs the banks.
By the time it reaches the city centre, the river is the pale brown of milky tea and so toxic it’s dangerous to touch.
But after decades of neglect, the government is spending more than $1bn to revive the Klang and Gombak rivers that gave Kuala Lumpur – which translates roughly as “muddy confluence” – its name.
“The River of Life is one of the cornerstone projects in Kuala Lumpur, in addition to public transport,” said Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah, a director of the government’s Performance Management and Delivery Unit, who is coordinating the project.
“We learned from other cities like Seoul, Vancouver, upgrading and beautifying the areas around the river really helps a city become more livable. And Kuala Lumpur is naturally lucky to have two rivers flowing through it.”
