SHAH ALAM, 8 Nov: The state government will start the redevelopment of the Klang river, including cleaning and upgrading, in March 2014.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said that the first effort which is to be taken seriously is the cleaning of the river and currently, there are several planning to be initiated in 2014.
Abdul Khalid said that the state government should first wait and examine the development of the Klang river because many have come forward to help in the upgrading, including several companies from Korea and China.
“I think that this development would likely occur in March 2014. Currently there are several work papers, (and) our first effort is to clean up the Klang river because there is a lot of garbage in it,” he said.
Abdul Khalid said this at a press conference after attending the Selangor State Headman (Penghulu), Traditional Village Heads and Members of Village Development and Security (JKKK) Assembly here at the Silver Jubilee Hall in the State Secretariat Building today.
However, Abdul Khalid said that the conditions imposed on the governments cannot be met by the state government for several reasons.
“Too many people want to help us fix the Kang river, including some from abroad. But they do not really want to develop the Klang river, but they are dreaming of the land next to the area, so I have postponed it.
“If I consented to it, I fear that we will not have the land. They want to beautify the Klang river so that is anyone wants to go to Kuala Lumpur from Port Klang to Masjid Jamek can do so by boat.
“However, to fund this development, the land next to the river would have to be handed over to them. The village people would be angry with me,” he said.
Abdul Khalid said that the state government is waiting for cleaning and upgrading of the river in Kuala Lumpur to finish before starting the Klang river clean-up efforts.
“I will wait for Kuala Lumpur to upgrade the upper part of the river. If we start cleaning, dirt from that area would reach here. But plans are ready and next year, it can begin,” he said.