Dbkl Forms Task Force To Monitor River Of Life Project

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The RM4 billion River of Life project is aimed at transforming the Klang and Gombak rivers in Kuala Lumpur into ‘dynamic and liveable’ waterfronts. (JWP pic)PETALING JAYA: Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) says it formed a task force last month to monitor the RM4 billion River of Life project in the capital, which a national audit report said has failed to meet its objectives despite being delayed for eight years.
DBKL said it is involved only in three remaining river cleaning and beautification projects. In explaining the delay to the three packages, it said:
“In June 2015, the government removed the three packages from the project. However, in September 2023, the government ordered the packages to be implemented again,” it said in a statement.
A value assessment of the three projects will be carried out with the economy ministry this month, and a study on value engineering with the works ministry in August.
The River of Life project is to clean and beautify the Klang and Gombak rivers, and bring the community back to the riverfront.
The 2024 auditor-general’s report said the project was unlikely to be completed this year despite already being delayed by over eight years. None of the objectives was achieved, including the key goal of improving river water quality.
It recommended that the federal territories department evaluate whether projects which have yet to be implemented should proceed, considering the costs involved in implementation and maintenance.
DBKL said its role in these projects is simply for the river beautification and land development components, with the irrigation and drainage department tasked with cleaning up the river.
The delay in appointing contractors to develop a sewage treatment plant in Batu and collapsible weir in Brickfields had nothing to do with DBKL as the two projects were not under its purview.
Federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said Putrajaya will continue with the project, with the focus on completing the remaining 19% of the project. - FMT

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