River trails totalling 400 km have been built throughout the country under the National River Trail Program and the project which was launched late last year targets 1,000 km of such trails to be completed by 2023 and 10,000km by 2030.

The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) said a river trail was the development of a path along the alignment of a river, pond or body of water that served as a recreational area.

There are 189 main river basins in the country spanning a distance of 17,344km.

The DID said that the government, private sector, NGOs and community-based organizations played a role in ensuring that these natural treasures continue to be preserved and utilised by society.

The DID further stated that incidences of river pollution has affected thousands of people and has also hit various sectors of the national economy.

This shows the importance of cooperation from all stakeholders in curbing the problem of pollution.

The DID stated that the government’s intention to cultivate environmental care for future generations is strengthened by various programs with local communities.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE