KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Federal Territories (FT) is mulling to continue implementing the River of Life (RoL) Programme to ensure the rivers in the federal capital remain clean and beautiful, on par with those of developed countries.

Its Minister, Tan Sri Annuar Musa said plans for the implementation of RoL 2.0 would encompass the aspects of development, beautifications and the methods of controlling major floods in Kuala Lumpur.

“Discussions with various quarters, including the private sector are underway, to avoid dependence on government funds,” he said.

He said this to reporters after a ceremony to introduce Ejen Ali, the character of the popular local animated series as an environment awareness campaign icon, specifically for the RoL project at the Leboh Pasar Bridge here, today.

Annuar said currently, several companies including from the private sector had been called to table working papers on the matter and their recommendations would be studied.

In addition, he said the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) was studying the size of government reserve land along the rivers from Brickfields to the border of Selangor, which would be involved in the project.

At the same time, he said his ministry was also looking at how to intensify the enforcement of the laws in an effort to control pollution and safeguard rivers.

According to Annuar, all river beautification efforts would be futile as long as the public did not appreciate and maintain the cleanliness of rivers.

-- BERNAMA