Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak wants all issues pertaining to water to be tackled in the best manner possible to ensure that the supply could be enjoyed in the long term.
He said this was because the government was deeply concerned about the needs of the future generation and as such, serious measures must be taken.
"A study is being taken in the near future to seek a mandate to formulate a bill on the national water resource policy and the state's overall water resource institution to ensure a more integrated and effective water resource management.
"Thus, water resource governance at the federal and state levels must be implemented in a more integrated manner to ensure that the national water requirement is always sufficient and fulfills the water quality standard stipulated," he said when opening the World Water Day Celebration Programme 2001, here Saturday.
Also present were Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui and Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung.
Najib said challenges and issues pertaining to water were divided into three categories namely excessive water that led to floods, water shortage that led to drought, and water quality caused by weather changes and global warming.
He said that in facing these issues, the government had launched the National Policy on Weather Changes last year which contained various strategies and action plans to reduce the impact of weather changes on the country.
"I wish to remind the relevant ministries and departments to give serious attention and to observe what is happening in the world and country as a major challenge to be tackled, so that the impact from the weather changes can be detected much earlier and that we are able to provide an action plan so that the situation will be under control no matter what happens," he said.
For this purpose, he said, the government provided an allocation of RM2.1 billion for the first two years of the 10th Malaysia Plan for flood alleviation programmes in several areas in the country.
In addition, efforts were being made to look for and develop alternative sources of water such as underground water, retention pond, rain water and recycled water, he said.
"We have also taken measures to restructure the water supply industry, through a central water management so that the water supply operator could give special emphasis on water supply services to the people," he added.- BERNAMA
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