KEBERSIHAN SUNGAI TANGGUNGJAWAB BERSAMA
Oleh : Norzasrudin Bin Mohamed Nor
Mutu kebersihan sungai di negara ini semakin merosot berikutan sikap masyarakat dan pemilik industri yang membuang sampah dan sisa kilang ke sungai sewenang-wenangnya. Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir secara peribadi telah menyuarakan kebimbangan beliau terhadap masalah pencemaran ini. Pencemaran sungai di negara ini bukan sahaja gagal untuk membantu industri pelancongan bahkan keadaan ini juga boleh menimbulkan masalah jika sungai digunakan sebagai sumber air minuman. Ekoran dari ini, kerajaan menetapkan laporan kualiti alam sekitar merangkumi maklumat terkini mengenai kualiti air dan udara serta pencemaran di negara ini perlu disediakan setiap tiga bulan untuk dibentangkan kepada kabinet.
Kementerian Sains, Teknologi dan Alam Sekitar terpaksa mengambil pelbagai langkah untuk meningkatkan penguatkuasaan dan memperkemaskan program bagi menyedarkan masyarakat terhadap tanggungjawab memelihara alam sekitar. Gesaan dibuat supaya Jabatan Parit dan Saliran (JPS) sentiasa memperhebatkan kempen Cintailah Sungai Kita kerana kabinet masih tidak berpuas hati terhadap tahap kebersihan sungai. Kempen ini harus diteruskan dengan lebih hebat agar dapat meningkatkan kesedaran orang ramai serta pemilik industri. Hasil kajian yang dijalankan oleh JPS menunjukkan kira-kira 20 sungai mengalami pencemaran serius antaranya Sungai Klang dan Sungai Sepang di Selangor, Sungai Juru di Pulau Pinang, Sungai Jimah di Negeri Sembilan dan Sungai Skudai di Johor kerana pembuangan sisa industri, sampah-sarap serta najis ternakan yang dibiarkan berlaku sesuka hati.
Kerajaan negeri juga amat perlu memainkan peranan dalam meningkatkan usaha serta rumusan jangka panjang kepada isu alam sekitar ini. Mereka boleh mengambil tindakan dan mengenal pasti sungai yang terdapat di negeri masing-masing kemudian membahagikan tahap kebersihan sungai itu kepada tiga kategori iaitu;
I) Sungai Bersih
II) Sungai Tercemar (sederhana)
III) Sungai Tercemar (teruk)
Selain itu, tindakan dan langkah segera perlu diambil untuk membersihkan sungai yang menghadapi masalah pencemaran di negeri masing-masing. Mereka juga harus berani bertindak dan mengambil tindakan untuk memberhentikan pencerobohan kawasan tadahan air.
Bagaimanapun, kesedaran dan sifat tanggungjawab individu terhadap alam sekitar adalah tonggak utama bagi memastikan masyarakat memberi tumpuan kepada penjagaan sejagat.
COMPANIES TOLD TO INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING IN ANNUAL REPORTS
By Ahmad Fuad Yahya
KUALA LUMPUR, -- Local companies have been urged to include environmental reporting in their annual financial reports.
Science, Technology and Environment Minister Datuk Law Hieng Ding in making the call said all companies operating in Malaysia can develop and improve their environmental accounting systems and to begin providing annual reports on the impact of their economic activities on the environment.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony of the Prime Minister's Hibiscus Award 1998/1999 here on Feb 22, he said it was not too early for companies to recognise environmental reporting as an emerging trend of management tool that
might one day prove vital for the company.
According to Law, just like financial reporting through financial statements, environmental reporting was basically a disclosure by a company on its environmental-related information.
"For the companies concerned, such information will help them make better decisions about the cost impact of their environmental issues, thereby enabling them to use preventive approaches rather than curative ones," he said.
However, Law pointed out that environmental reporting was relatively new and yet to be well defined.
"At this juncture, there is no plan to legislate on this and to make it mandatory for companies to disclose such information in their annual reports," he said.
Later at a news conference, the minister said that a few companies, mostly multi-national corporations (MNCs), had incorporated elements of environmental reporting in their financial reports.
"There are some (companies) who have already done it, including local companies like Golden Hope Plantations Bhd," he said.
He highlighted the fact that environmental reporting had indeed been an emerging trend, particularly at the international level, as companies reported to the public about environmental policies, objectives and programmes undertaken by them.
"Investors want such information to protect themselves from unexpected losses incurred by environmental costs that would be to the detriment of their investment in a company," he said.
Bankers also require such information to evaluate their credit risks, Law said.
In addition, he said the general public wanted environmental information to enable them to evaluate the social commitments undertaken by a company.
In Malaysia, Law said there was already a wind of change among the public at large on the awareness of environment protection and preservation.
"I would like to recall a recent study which indicated that 92 per cent of the Malaysia public was environmental conscious. I think this is a high figure compared to the situation in other countries," the minister said.
Fairchild Semiconductor (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd won the Prime Minister's Hibiscus Award under exceptional achievement while 20 other companies won awards under notable achievement.
The Prime Minister's Hibiscus Award, first launched in 1996, is the premier private sector environmental award for business and industry in Malaysia.
SIDANG REDAKSI BAHASA WANITA PENDIDIKAN AGAMA ALAM SEKITAR KESIHATAN