Author(s): Chee Hui Lai, Ngai Weng Chan, Hui Weng Goh, Nor Azazi Zakaria
Linked Author(s): Chee Hui Lai
Keywords: River management, stakeholder participation, local community, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), river pollution
Abstract: In the era of sustainable development, collaboration is needed from all stakeholders to sustainably manage rivers and water resources. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a crucial role in all levels of river management, especially as a link between the government and local communities in seeking solutions to river issues in the local context. This paper examines the Sungai Pinang River Community Engagement Project (SPRCEP) undertaken by a local NGO aimed at engaging local communities in conserving a river in Penang State, Malaysia. It discusses the contribution and challenges of the project in engaging local communities in river management. Findings from this paper are drawn from the lessons learned from the pilot project in engaging local communities in river conservation activities and providing practical information at the end of the paper to improve public participation in river management. The project site is located at the Sungai Pinang River (SPR) in Penang State, Malaysia. The river is one of the most polluted rivers in the state. In the project, a series of water educational programs, such as outdoor learning programs, quiz competitions, and river clean-up activities, were organized to educate the public on river conservation. Various platforms were created to enable discussions among multi-stakeholders on the causes of SPR pollution and the solutions for reducing it. At the end of the paper, challenges of effectively engaging local community in river management are discussed. In conclusion, the paper suggested that indicators for local community involvement in river management need to be developed, incentives to be given to the local communities that have made contributions to river conservation, and official platforms to be created to enable exchange of experiences and ideas, and mutual learning between all stakeholders involved in river-related issues
Year: 2017