Around 80 boats, all adorned with Jalur Gemilang, participated in a 3km parade along Sungai Perak in Teluk Intan. The event, organized by the Hilir Perak District and Land Office, was held in conjunction with the National Day celebrations. Numerous government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), fishermen, and representatives from local boat operators took part in the event.
Volunteers took part in the clean-up operation along Sungai Perak.
Following the parade, a gotong-royong was organized to remove debris from the river. Approximately 180 volunteers managed to collect around 1.7 tonnes of waste. Subsequently, a mangrove tree-planting program was conducted, in collaboration with the Local Government Development Ministry, Teluk Intan Municipal Council, and the district and land office.
Saidi Shaari, Hilir Perak district officer, highlighted the great potential of Sungai Perak for eco-tourism, which could bring benefits to the local community. He also mentioned the possibility of exploring raft houses (rumah rakit) as a project along the Sungai Perak riverbank. These raft houses would provide people with a chance to experience fishing for freshwater prawns, which are abundant in the river. Moreover, tour boat services along Sungai Perak could be utilized to showcase the treasures along the river, such as Pulau Bangau, fireflies, and aquatic products like freshwater fish and prawns. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize cleanliness and preservation efforts to avoid pollution.
Some 80 boats taking part in the 3km parade along Sungai Perak in Teluk Intan, Perak.
Hilir Perak Orang Besar Jajahan Orang Kaya Kaya Laksamana Raja Mahkota Datuk Meor Redwan Mahayudin, who was also present, emphasized the importance of waterways as the main source of drinking water and livelihood for many. He expressed the need to hold annual gotong-royong activities like this to raise awareness among people about caring for water sources.
The president of NGO Ocean 9 Conservation Association (Ocean 9), Raja Kamar Azhar Ahmed Siffudin, stated that the key to preventing pollution lies in promoting consciousness among individuals. He emphasized the necessity of direct involvement in programs like these to instill a sense of responsibility towards the environment.
On the same day, another clean-up exercise took place at Pulau Sembilan, organized by the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Kumpulan Program Jiwa Murni, Ocean 9, and Persatuan Sahabat Aktivis Alam. Perak Raja Di-Hilir Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Sultan Idris A’fifullah Shah graced the event, which was organized by the Perak State Parks Corporation. The vice-president of Ocean 9, Raja Nor Safrina Raja Shahrul Zaman, explained that the program aimed to clean the island and maintain its healthy and balanced ecosystem. Rubbish is often found around the island due to water currents from the Straits of Malacca, along with waste from fishing activities, coastal areas, and rivers. The clean-up exercise managed to gather approximately 2.3 tonnes of rubbish, including fishing equipment, plastic waste, aluminum, tin, metal, glass, and polystyrene.
Credit: The Star : Metro Feed
