Kuala lumpur: Rows of lush sugarcane swaying along the banks of Sungai Klebang Selatan in Kinta stand as proof that abandoned land can be transformed into a source of livelihood through determination, community spirit, and hard work. Every morning, 66-year-old Abdul Razak Teh begins his day tending the 1.2-hectare sugarcane plantation he has cultivated for the past several years. For the retired Public Works Department (JKR) officer, the plantation represents far more than a source of income. It symbolizes the collective spirit of the local community.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the project began as a small initiative under the Klebang Selatan Neighbourhood Watch Committee (KRT), when 21 community members joined hands in 2020 to clear and develop idle government land in Kampung Tersusun Batu Enam. With support from implementation partners such as the Global Environment Centre (GEC) and funding from Yayasan Hasanah, the once-neglected site gradually evolved into a fully functioning sugarcane farm complete with a storage facility, a well, and a solar-powered water pump.
Abdul Razak shared that the project, carried out with the approval of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS), has enabled local residents to earn additional income by selling fresh sugarcane juice produced from previously idle land. Profits from sales were distributed equally among members, with daily sales once reaching RM300. Despite many members withdrawing from the project over the years, Abdul Razak continues the effort on his own from 2023, still contributing part of the proceeds to the KRT as appreciation to the community that initiated the project.
The sugarcane plantation along Sungai Klebang also serves as one of GEC's initiatives to educate local communities on river conservation through its River Care Programme. This project combines environmental stewardship with community empowerment, making it a win-win initiative. GEC River Care Programme Senior Officer Norazrin Mamat stated that the community-based river monitoring programme has heightened public awareness of environmental conservation and nurtured proactive communities committed to preserving rivers, particularly the Kinta River in Perak.
The Klebang Selatan KRT has been an active participant in the Kinta River Sustainability Monitoring Programme since 2019 through the RIVER Ranger initiative. Residents are trained to regularly monitor the condition of rivers near their homes by assessing physical, chemical, and biological parameters. Although the programme does not directly improve river water quality, it helps communities understand the causes of pollution and the role they can play in protecting rivers.
JPS Director-General Datuk Mohamad Radzi Abdul Talib emphasized that community-based programmes implemented by GEC play a crucial role in reducing river pollution. Initiatives such as public awareness campaigns, river clean-up activities, water quality monitoring, and environmental education allow communities to contribute directly to river conservation efforts. These programmes also equip communities with skills to adapt to environmental challenges like floods and pollution.
The Kinta River monitored under the programme stretches across a catchment of about 110 kilometres, making it one of Perak's most significant river systems. The community programmes produce immediate benefits by nurturing a sense of responsibility and ownership towards rivers, helping reduce pollution on a sustained basis while complementing conservation efforts by the government and other stakeholders.
GEC, in collaboration with JPS, is developing the River Health Index (RHI) to address the need for a comprehensive approach to river health. The RHI evaluates water quality and assesses the overall health of rivers as living ecosystems linked to people, biodiversity, and national water security. The initiative reflects a global shift towards recognizing rivers as living entities rather than merely channels for flowing water.
The RHI is expected to be completed by the end of this year before being submitted to the government for adoption as a national index. If implemented, it will measure river health and strengthen strategic planning for water management and conservation of Malaysia's water resources.