As a result, the state government this 12 months initiated a program to deal with river pollution called Johor Bersih@Sungai, covering all 10 districts.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday at Kampung Bakar Batu near Perling after the launch of the Sungai Skudai clean-up program, Ling said the initiative began in 2022 before undergoing two name changes.
We must put an end to throwing garbage into rivers
He spoke in regards to the importance of conducting such activities in all districts of Johor, not only to scrub the rivers, but in addition to lift public awareness of the necessity to handle the environment.
“There must be an end to throwing garbage into rivers,” he said.
However, Ling also said water quality in five rivers, which were among the many 14 found polluted in Johor, had improved.
“We have managed to upgrade the class category of five rivers that were previously in category three and four to category two and above,” he said.
Ling credited the development to the Department of the Environment’s enforcement efforts and collaboration with industry players.
He added that the Johor Bersih state government initiative is heading in the right direction, with the variety of polluted rivers dropping from 14 to nine.
In an unrelated matter, Ling said those answerable for the death of 4 elephants in a fruit orchard in Kahang Timur, Kluang could face consequences. The elephants were found dead on June 1.
“The preliminary autopsy report indicated that the reason behind death can have been respiratory and circulatory failure brought on by bleeding, which led to blood accumulating in various organs,” he added.
He said the state Department of Wildlife and National Parks is awaiting full autopsy results.
“Samples taken from the elephant carcasses were sent to the laboratory to determine the cause of death. There is a possibility that the elephants died due to poisoning,” he said. “However, the causative agent has not been identified as the laboratory report is still pending.”
Initial reports indicated that the animals were from the Bandar Tenggara herd that was roaming the Lenggor, Kluang and Kluang Tambahan Labir and Sembrong forest reserves in Johor and Taman Negara Endau Rompin in Pahang.
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, said in a press release on June 3 that Perhilitan data shows that from 2020 to May 2024, 646 complaints of human-elephant conflicts were reported in Johor, with of which 292 cases were in Kluang District.
He said current estimates were that there have been about 120 to 160 elephants in Johor.
“Elephants are one of the iconic wildlife species in the country and are fully protected under the Wildlife Protection Act,” he added.
