THE RM4.4 billion River of Life ( RoL ) project , aimed at rejuvenating the Klang and Gombak Rivers ’ confluence , faced inherent challenges from the beginning , according to Save Kuala Lumpur ( Save KL ) chairman Mumtaz Ali . The project ’ s narrow focus on a limited portion of the river system significantly undermined its primary objectives .
Mumtaz Ali had raised concerns early on , pointing out that the rivers originate uphill in Gombak , flow through Kuala Lumpur , and continue to Klang . Addressing only the portion passing through KL was seen as insufficient for achieving the desired outcomes .
He stressed the need for a comprehensive approach that considers the entire river system from upstream to downstream for both project success and financial prudence .
“ We had raised this issue from the beginning . The rivers start uphill in Gombak , flow through KL , and then to Klang . If you only address the KL portion of the system , how successful can you be in achieving the desired goals ?” said Mumtaz .
“ If you want to undertake a
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severe project such as this , you need to address the river from upstream to downstream to ensure effectiveness and that the money is well spent .”
The 2024 auditor-general ’ s ( A-G ) report corroborated this critique , highlighting that the RoL project , which has faced over eight years of delays , is unlikely to be completed this year .
As of July 2023 , eight out of 159 related projects were still ongoing , with progress ranging from 21 per cent to 97.3 per cent .
The RoL project comprises three main components : river cleaning , river beautification , and commercialisation and tourism . However , none of these goals have been fully achieved .
The audit revealed that only 79.4 per cent of river beautification works have been completed , and merely 50 out of 296 sewage treatment plants have been rationalised or upgraded . Mumtaz criticised the project ’ s imbalanced prioritisation , noting that it excessively focused on commercialisation rather than thorough clean-up efforts .
He argued that the project concentrated on creating attractions on the riverbanks but neglected the core issue of flood elimination , which would have benefited the
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public .
He urged the federal and Selangor governments , along with the Federal Territories department , to reassess the project , pointing out persistent flooding in downstream areas like Klang and Taman Sri Muda .
Mumtaz called for accountability regarding the misuse of public funds and demanded a serious review of the entire development before further expenditure on what he deemed a vanity project .
Dr Shuhana Shamsuddin , the lead consultant for City Hall ’ s heritage trail master plan , said her unit was commissioned only after the construction for the mega project had begun .
Shuhana , a town planning and urban design specialist , said the job came with the understanding that RoL took precedence .
“ We were just roped in to fulfil a
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requirement of completing the job on schedule . Whatever we did , we had to incorporate whatever was already done .
“ We had to play second fiddle to the RoL team and accept their proposals even if we had better ideas . There was no way we could counter-propose .
“ If by the time you want to implement something , the damage is done , you can ’ t restore the authenticity and time ( age ) to a place ,” she said .
She said the river , being at the heart of KL , played a vital role in the evolution of the city .
Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun shared these concerns , citing the project ’ s unrealistic deadline and repeated delays . He suggested that improving the river ’ s water quality would naturally enhance the Kuala Lumpur city centre , aligning with the project ’ s tourism goals .
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