Johor menteri besar Hasni Mohammad said about 2,000km of rivers in the state have been selected from a total of 10,000km across the country to be developed into river trail routes and recreation sites for the local communities.

He said the construction of the river trails is a nature-based solution approach to address socio-environmental challenges undertaken by the environment and water ministry (Kasa).

“The presence of the public will prevent irresponsible parties from turning the river into a waste dump,” he told reporters after taking part in the “Love Sungai Kim Kim” gotong-royong programme in conjunction with World Water Day today.

Also present was Kasa secretary-general Zaini Ujang.

Hasni said the initial cost of beautifying the Sungai Kim Kim area and building a trail would be RM500,000.

As Sungai Kim Kim flows through an industrial area, he said, the implementation of the trail programme requires the cooperation of the factories in the area to ensure its success.

He also said that although the programme is a government initiative, corporate bodies, non-governmental organisations and the local community will “adopt” the selected areas along the trail.

They will implement beautification or tree planting projects and maintain the cleanliness of the river.

Four public institutions of higher learning – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka – will also take part in landscaping along the trail.

Toxic pollution in Sungai Kim Kim on March 7, 2019 affected nearly 6,000 residents, including students, causing 111 schools in the Pasir Gudang area to be closed temporarily.