Malaysia’s Water Challenge Lies In Management, Not Lack Of Resources – Expert

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is not facing a shortage of water resources, but rather challenges in management that require comprehensive reforms to ensure the country’s water security remains safeguarded. 

National Water Icon 2026 Tan Sri Ir Shahrizaila Abdullah, who is also a senior fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), said the country’s water management needs to be strengthened through more integrated governance and close cooperation between the Federal and state governments and all stakeholders. 

The founder of the ASM Water Committee said to date, ASM had published various reports on water that provided valuable strategic input to policymakers and other key stakeholders. 

“The solution to water issues is not merely to build more dams, but to ensure that the entire management system becomes more efficient. 

“Water must be viewed as a complete system, from catchment areas, rivers and treatment plants and all the way to consumers. If each agency works in isolation, we will not be able to achieve sustainable water management,” he told Bernama when met recently. 

Shahrizaila was conferred the National Water Icon 2026 award in conjunction with the national-level World Water Day 2026 celebration in Melaka by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) on April 25. 

The recognition was given in appreciation of his contributions and leadership in advancing and strengthening the country’s water resource management ecosystem for long-term sustainability. 

He said the National Water Sector Transformation Roadmap 2040 (AIR 2040) requires continued commitment from the Federal and state governments, coupled with strong political will, to ensure that every policy is translated into effective action. 

“The Water Sector Transformation Agenda 2040, developed by ASM as a strategic partner to the Economic Planning Unit at the time and introduced under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), aims to improve management efficiency, optimise the potential of the water sector as an economic enabler and a dynamic growth driver to generate wealth and new employment opportunities. 

“Its implementation involves four phases, with Phase 1 focusing on intensifying the adoption of integrated water resource management at the Federal, state and district levels, while expediting the gazettement and protection of water catchment areas, and building integrated wastewater treatment plants for pollution control,” he said.

He said Phase 2 (2026-2030) would focus on developing local technologies comparable to international standards, Phase 3 (2031-2035) would target achieving economies of scale in the water sector, while Phase 4 (2036-2040) would set the aspiration of making Malaysia a regional water industry hub. 

Meanwhile, ASM fellow and chairman of the ASM Water Committee Datuk Ir Abdul Kadir Mohd Din said among the measures requiring attention is the alignment of the country’s water management under a more structured ecosystem to prevent overlapping responsibilities among agencies. 

Abdul Kadir, who is also chairman of the National Water Services Commission (SPAN), stressed that the country receives a high average annual rainfall of between 1,800 and 3,000 millimetres, but weaknesses in governance and management coordination mean that the resource is not being utilised optimally. 

“The river basin management approach needs to be expanded as it enables water management to be implemented comprehensively, from catchment areas to river mouths. 

“We need to view rivers as a system. All activities within a basin are interconnected and cannot be managed separately if we want to ensure the country’s water resources remain protected,” he said. 

Abdul Kadir said one of the country’s biggest challenges is the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) rate, which remains at around 34 per cent, equivalent to more than 5.5 billion litres of treated water being lost every day, resulting in losses of nearly RM2 billion annually. 

“The cheapest water is water that is not wasted,” he stressed, adding that the usage of artificial intelligence-based (AI-based) technologies, Digital Twin, satellites and the Internet of Things (IoT) could accelerate leak detection and improve the efficiency of water utilities. 

He said the water sector needs to adopt technology to strengthen its development trajectory towards becoming a regional water hub by 2040. 

“Malaysia needs to expand the use of treated or recycled water, particularly in the industrial sector, so that clean water supplies can be prioritised for domestic use. 

“This circular water economy approach can support the growth of sectors that rely heavily on water resources, such as data centres, without placing excessive pressure on the country’s raw water resources,” he said.

At the same time, he proposed that Malaysia consider establishing a National Water University as a dedicated, practice-oriented institution to produce future leaders, experts and skilled workers for the water sector. 

He said the university would not only produce engineers, but also scientists, economists, financial experts, digital technology specialists, governance experts and water sector leaders capable of addressing climate change challenges and the country’s water security. 

“We have energy expertise through UNITEN and food expertise at UPM, but where is water? Malaysia has reached the point where it should consider establishing a National Water University as a dedicated institution to produce future water sector leaders. 

“The establishment of a specialised institution based on practical knowledge and experience is important to continuously support and complement the country’s water science, technology and policy ecosystem,” he said. 

Shahrizaila supported the proposal, saying that the establishment of such a university could produce high-calibre human capital and strengthen local talent development in the water sector. 

Abdul Kadir said the transformation of the water sector should be guided by a simple but clear philosophy, as every drop of water conserved today not only guarantees supply for the present but also builds the country’s future. 

“From science to solutions. From policy to action. From every drop to the nation’s future. A drop of water can give a million hopes,” he said.

-- BERNAMA