KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin promises to ensure Malaysia's water resources are managed sustainably for the future of the country.
However, he said the impact of climate change might affect the capacity to meet water demand and the implementation of water infrastructure projects.
“The impact of climate change on water resources alters the availability, quantity and quality of water supply cycle while contributing to extreme weather, causing long drought and extreme flood disaster,” he said in his speech before opening the International Greentech and Eco-products Exhibition and Conference 2020 (Igem 2020) organised virtually, today.
As a way forward, Muhyiddin said the government planned to explore unconventional water resources, such as groundwater abstraction, rainwater harvesting or even storm water harvesting using off-river storage and coastal reservoirs.
In the same development, the government, spearheaded by the Environment and Water Ministry (Kasa), was also in the midst of preparing an Environmental Sustainability Roadmap, a document with clear targets and indicators towards a green and sustainable pathway from 2020 to 2030.
The prime minister said the government had also launched the Green Technology Master Plan (GTMP), which strategically outlines approaches up to the year 2030 for green technology development to create a low carbon and resource-efficient economy.
“We have also galvanised several cities in Malaysia to set a low-carbon vision and develop a low-carbon action plan,” he said, adding that a total of 52 local authorities were now part of the Low Carbon City Framework Programme, which encourages strategies and actions to reduce carbon emissions. – Bernama, October 19, 2020
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