A Big Drain or a River? : Attachment and People's Engagement Nor Azlin TAJUDDIN. Anthropology & Sociology Discipline

Transcription

1 A Big Drain or a River? : Attachment and People's Engagement Nor Azlin TAJUDDIN Anthropology & Sociology Discipline tajudn03@student.uwa.edu.au

2 2 OUTLINE The Research Setting A Short Journey Rivers in Malaysia A Central Issue: Nexus of Embankment and Attachment Natural River, Attachment and Engagement Drain and Detachment Conclusion

3 3 KLANG RIVER CONSTRUCTED (middle catchment) KLANG RIVER NATURAL (upstream)

4 4 Size:1,278 sq km Length: 120 km Rainfall: 2,300mm Population: 4 million (the most densely populated region in Malaysia) Transboundary river (2 states) 11 tributaries 2 dams Klang River Catchment Flood-prone

5 5 A Short Journey from Source to Sea

6 6 Aerial View of the Klang Gate Dam from Tabur Hill

7 7 The Klang Gate Dam First dam in Malaysia

8 8 Upstream of the Klang River 1 km from the Source/Klang Gate Dam

9 9 About 9 km from the Source

10 10 About 10 km from the Source

11 11 Embankment of the Klang River at Kampung Datuk Keramat about 12 km from the Source

12 12 Confluence of the Gombak River and the Klang River at the heart of Kuala Lumpur (KL) Gombak River Klang River

13 13

14 14 Aerial View of Kuala Lumpur and the Klang River (Total Length of the Caged KR = 30 km)

15 15 Downstream of the Klang River Klang Town A boat cruise organized by Department of Drainage and Irrigation (DID)

16 16 Klang River s Estuary Strait of Malacca 16

17 17 97 per cent water supply 1978 : River Monitoring programme - Water Quality Index (WQI) The Klang River polluted 1991: 10-Year Klang River Clean-Up programme & Love Our River campaign No community participation programme (Waterwatch - AUS) Rivers in Malaysia Water sample in-take at the Klang River

18 18 Hamid s house Case Study 1 Natural River, Attachment, and Engagement Hamid, in his midsixties : I m a pensioner, a businessman, and my main interest is in conservation and environment.

19 19 Why did I choose to come here? Because of the river pollution I keep thinking the way on how to raise people s awareness in KL about the cleanliness of a river. How do I go about it? So I chose a small corner of KL. Previously, this corner of KL was a rubbish dump. You can see all kind of rubbish was thrown here piles and piles of rubbish. It was bad. That was about fifteen years ago this river was choked. So what I did was I want to show an example to the people If you live by the river what can you do? You can t simply talk without doing anything, people won t follow you. What I did was I build my house right in the middle of the rubbish dump. Hamid: May 16, 2007

20 20 Natural River, Attachment and Engagement Rivers are gift from God which need to be safeguarded and protected. - Hamid Clear water in front of Hamid s house

21 21 Case Study 2 Amin - 47 yrs old, a self-taught landscape designer Natural River, Attachment and Engagement Amin clearing the vegetation

22 22 I m the only who clean this place and pick up the rubbish. I didn t get pay. When I think about it, why should I do this? Many people litter this place (next to the Klang Gate Dam). I pick up the rubbish every day. People come here and see the place is clean. I clean the place up to the point that those who come here for picnic thought that I m a city council worker taking care after this place... I did it voluntarily. I have no personal interest. I ll do my best. I work on the river, sometimes I even skipped my meals. Why am I doing this? Because I love this place. Amin: April 18, 2007

23 23 Drain and Detachment? I don t know. Is this a river? It s not a river. It s a big drain. Longkang Besar (Big Drain) at Kampung Datuk Keramat It is invisible in the city... we are detached from the Klang River.

24 24 This act *embankment of the Klang River+ I think will lead to the worst scenario we can have, because people tend to see the river as a monsoon drain. So when they see the river as a monsoon drain, it permits them to pollute and throw the waste without knowing.

25 25 Conclusion People s engagements with nature ; natural river and modified river. Practical implication Upstream of the Klang River Klang River in the city centre

26 26 The condition of our rivers, more than any other natural resources, reflects our attitudes toward the world around us, and ultimately our attitudes toward ourselves. The society that does not protect its rivers destroys its own lifelines. (Wohl 2004, p. 2) Crystal clear water near the Klang Gate Dam

27 27 And thank you to: Hamid & Amin All interviewees Department of Environment, Malaysia Department of Drainage and Irrigation, Malaysia University of Western Australia International Islamic University Malaysia