IWRM 2005:
Streamlining Malaysia's National IWRM Strategy Plan and Development of the
Implementation Road Map
Extracted by Liew Yuk San, from "IWRM 2005 Report on Malaysia by Dr. Lee Jin, Drafting Task Force
Abstract
This paper review issues related to IWRM2005 project in
Malaysia, the current IWRM implementation status and
present the project outcome in terms of key results,
lesson learned and the way forward in Integrated Water
Resources Management. The challenge in water
resources management is to achieve the developed
status by 2020, where the country is developed but the
environment remains pristine.
1. Introduction to IWRM 2005
"IWRM or Integrated Water Resources Management"
can have many definitions but the most commonly used
definition by GWP (Global Water Partnership) is,
"A process which promotes the coordinated development
and management of water, land and related resources, in
order to maximise the resultant economic and social
welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the
sustainability of vital ecosystems."
At the World Summit on Sustainable Development
(WSSD), Johannesburg 26 August to 4 September 2002,
Malaysia represented by YAB Datuk Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi, was a signatory to the WSSD Declaration in
which all signatories agreed to prepare Integrated Water
Resources
Management (IWRM) Strategic Plan by 2005, hence the
project name IWRM2005.
United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) has
provided a small grant for interested countries to gauge
their current status in the preparation of IWRM strategy
and road map for implementation. The project objectives
of this UNEP programme are:
- To sensitize top level decision makers on the IWRM
concepts and approaches to managing a finite resource
such as water.
- To develop a shared understanding and vision among
all major institutional and community stakeholders on the
major IWRM issues in Malaysia and their roles in achiev-
ing the vision.
- Based on the shared understanding and vision to devel-
op the streamlined National IWRM strategy and imple-
mentation road map.
2. Present IWRM Implementation in Malaysia
Stakeholders in Malaysia had previously articulated our
water vision as:
"In support of Vision 2020 (towards achieving developed
nation status), Malaysia will conserve and manage its
water resources to ensure adequate and safe water for
all (including the environment)"
The key objectives of the Vision are:
- Water for people: all communities will have access to
safe, adequate and affordable water supply, hygiene and
sanitation.
- Water for food and rural development: provisions for
sufficient water to ensure national food security and pro-
mote rural development.
- Water for economic development: provisions for suffi-
cient water to spur and sustain economic growth within
the context of a knowledge-based economy and e-com-
merce.
- Water for environment: protection of the water environ-
ment to preserve water resources (both surface and
groundwater resources), and the natural flow regimes,
biodiversity and cultural heritage as well as the mitigation
of water related hazards.
In support of the national water vision, specific water pol-
icy statements have been embodied in Malaysia's 5year
development plans to ensure the integrated manage-
ment of natural resources including water. In the 8th
Malaysia Plan, an Integrated Water Resource
Management (IWRM) approach was adopted to manage
water resources, with integrated river basin management
(IRBM) utilized as a management unit. Chapter 22 in the
9th Malaysia Plan, focused on environmental steward-
ship to promote a balance between developmental needs
and the environment, with emphasis on preventive meas-
ures to mitigate negative environmental effects at source,
intensifying conservation efforts and sustainably manag-
ing natural resources including water.
The 9th Plan Document re-emphasized the need to
improve water quality with efforts targeted towards reduc-
ing the number of polluted rivers. In this respect, the pub-
lic sewerage systems will be upgraded and additional
centralized sewerage treatment plants will be construct-
ed to reduce the discharge of inadequately treated
wastewater into river systems. Gross pollution traps and
sedimentation ponds will be installed at critical locations
in river basins to reduce the outflow of non-point source
pollutants. Siltation and erosion control will be addressed
through the amendment of existing laws. Enforcement
will be intensified to ensure that effluent discharge com-
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ply with environmental standards in order to maintain
environmental health.
A number of major studies related to IWRM have since
been carried out such as "National Physical Plan",
"National Economic Recovery Plan: Agenda for Action",
"National Water Resources Study 2000 - 2050
(Peninsular Malaysia)", "National Study For The Effective
Implementation Of Integrated Water Resources
Management In Malaysia (2005-2006)" and others. As
part of the efforts to create an enabling IWRM
environment and build capacity on IWRM, many IWRM-
related workshops and seminars have been held in the
country by various stakeholders.
3. IWRM2005 Project Activities
IWRM 2005 project activities are related to the
implementation of three National-level IWRM Workshops
as follows:
i. 1-day Institutional IWRM Assessment Workshop,
20 June 2006 attended by 53 participants from various
government agencies,
ii. 1-day Community IWRM Assessment Workshop,
21 June 2006 attended by 25 participants from various
universities, NGOs and private agencies, and
iii. 2-day Multi-stakeholder IWRM Strategic
Planning Workshop, 3-4 August 2006 participated by 83
representatives from public and private sectors,
academia and NGOs.
4. IWRM2005 Workshop Findings
The outcome is summarized into Key Results, Lessons
Learned and The Way Forward.
4.1 Key result
There is a general increased in awareness In IWRM. The
consensus among the participants on the current priority
water management issues in the country are as follows:
- Deterioration in river water quality
- Flooding
- Incongruent landuse and development
- Threat to aquatic biodiversity
- Water shortages and increased water demand
The stakeholders are aware of the weaknesses and gaps
in the current implementation of water management
framework in the country and were able to appreciate the
need for adopting IWRM concepts and approaches in the
sustainable management of water resources in Malaysia.
Through these workshops, the stakeholders were made
aware of the need to work together to streamline their
respective water management related goals and targets,
as documented in the 9th Malaysia Plan. There was
consensus among all the stakeholders that the IWRM
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process has started in policy making, water resources
planning and other related studies, though not in an
obviously structured and formal manner. There are gaps,
conflicting and complementary strategies and objectives
among the various water related sectors. Coordinating
and collaborative efforts exist among institutions but in a
vague and not concerted manner. There is inadequate
mechanism and system for sharing information and
knowledge in IWRM among the stakeholders. Capacity
building and knowledge enhancement in IWRM are
important to enable policy makers, planners, and
implementers to make informed and timely decision.
Numerous segmented Acts and guidelines relating to
water resource are in existence.
In general, public participation in IWRM has started but
need to be further encouraged and promoted. Research
efforts to build up knowledge in IWRM must be
coordinated and stepped up, especially in the area of
valuation of the water ecosystem and related
biodiversity. Integrated and comprehensive water
resources management legislation should be enacted,
an enabling environment be created to further encourage
and promote public participation in a proactive,
constructive and effective manner. The formal and
informal processes of capacity building in IWRM must be
further strengthened.
4.2 Lessons Learned
The lessons learned in implementing IWRM in Malaysia
are grouped in accordance with the three IWRM pillars of
enabling environment, institutional framework and
management instruments.
4.2.1 Enabling Environment
4.2.1.1 Policy
Water resources planning, implementation and use are
still sector driven. However, the sector policies, strategies
and action plans, are now increasingly been formulated
to incorporate the principles of sustainability. There is
now a need to make progress towards the streamlining of
the individual sector policies, strategies and action plans,
into an integrated national IWRM strategic action plan
and implementation roadmap. The agencies in the
different sectors should work together, under the
leadership of a joint National IWRM coordinating
committee, to streamline and optimize their respective
sector goals and address gaps in implementation and
enforcement. Only through such collaborative working
arrangements within the different agencies will each of
the agencies be able to achieve their respective
individual goals and targets that are based on
sustainability principles.
4.2.1.2 Legislation
There are many laws, regulations and enactments that
govern water resources management and use in the
country. However, there is no over-arching national policy
framework that brings them altogether. There is a need
to create more awareness on the importance of the need
for a concrete national policy framework to facilitate the
respective sector agencies, with enforcement powers, to
act in a coherent way to achieve the objectives of IWRM
in the Malaysia.
4.2.1.3 Finance
A review of the 8th and 9th Malaysia Plan reveal that
significant expenditure and allocations have been made
by the government to address flood mitigation, basic
water supply and sewerage infrastructure needs of the
country. The challenge now in the water financing is how
to make the transition from the current, sector-specific,
financial and budgeting paradigm of the sector agencies
to an integrated base program, that can provide added
value bearing in mind, the achievement of the immediate
goals and targets in one sector may contribute to
increasing the negative impacts in other sectors, or "sew
the seed" of a bigger problem within the sector over the
longer term.
4.2.2 Institutional Environment
4.2.2.1 Institutional Framework
The institutional framework in Malaysia is complex as it is
a federation of many states. Issues related to landuse
and water resources management are the states
matters. There are many government agencies, both at
the federal and state levels dealing with water issues,
leading to gaps and overlaps in responsibilities for
managing the land-use and the water resources in the
country. Continuous reviewing and reform are on going to
strengthen the institutional framework. The last major
reform in March 2004 resulted in entrusting water
resources management and water services management
to different ministries.
4.2.2.2 Capacity Building
The Government of Malaysia recognizes the importance
of capacity building and the development of the country's
human resources to achieve the national vision of a
developed country by 2002. In the 9th Malaysia Plan
(2006-2010) human resources development has been
given a substantial budget allocation. In water resources
management, capacity building is required to enhance
the performance of staff in the water-related agencies, to
adopt and to implement the IWRM concept. The
Malaysian Water Partnership (MyWP), have and can play
an important role in creating awareness and building
IWRM capacity among the water-related agencies in
Malaysia. It has conducted a number of IWRM Training
of Trainers (TOT) workshops and training programs in
the past. However, more needs to be done to increase
the TOT capacity building and to generate the
momentum and demand for the IWRM training programs.
4.2.3 Management Instruments
4.2.3.1 Resources Assessment
The pertinent technical agencies responsible for the
collection and storage of the resources information are
well-equipped with modern information and
communication technological infrastructure, with
computer databases, monitoring system and
communication networks. The assessments are carried
out with the support of computer models. However, there
is a need for more up-to-date analysis of the collected
data to convert them into useful information to be used by
planners, engineers and decision-makers.
4.2.3.2 Planning
Each pertinent technical agencies has developed sector
plans to enable them in fulfilling the responsibilities of
their agencies. For example the Town and Country
Planning Department has developed the National
Physical Plan for Peninsular Malaysia to guide the
physical development of land-use in Peninsular
Malaysia. The Plan is supported by State conceptual
land-use development structure plans and finally the
cadastral lot based local plans. The Drainage and
Irrigation Department has developed Integrated River
Basin Plans, Flood Mitigation Plans, etc. The Department
of Environment has developed plans for improving river
water quality. The Department of Water Supply has
developed plans to create water reservoirs to meet the
projected future water supply needs of the country. The
Forestry department has created plans
for the sustainable management of the forests in the
country. In the preparation of these plans each of the
agencies are aware of the need to take into accounts the
related factors that are under the responsibility of the
other agencies and sectors. There is a need for effective
co-ordination between the related agencies and in view
of the current sector-focus; this is a challenge that needs
to be overcome.
4.2.3.3 Water Use Efficiency
The current water pricing systems for domestic and
non-domestic water supplies in the various States of
Malaysia does not reflect the actual costs of developing
and providing the water supply. On a national basis,
under full cost recovery at nominal cost of funds of 10%
per annum, the Government will be subsidizing the
public at RM0.23/m of distributed water. This subsidy
and low pricing of water may not provide the incentive for
water consumers to use potable water efficiently.
The 8th and 9th Malaysia Plan reports on Non-Revenue
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Water (NRW) highlight the poor efficiency in the delivery
of potable water to consumers as seen below
- In the 8th Malaysia Plan (2000-2005) NRW decreased
from 40% to 38% after replacement of 3380 km of old
pipes, old water meters and reduction of pilferages.
- In the 9th Malaysia Plan the NRW is targeted to be
reduced to 30% by 2010.
Irrigation is currently highly subsidized and consumes
about 70% of the surface water. There is a need to
increase the efficiency of water use in this sector and
sufficient incentives need to be provided to encourage
increase efficiencies.
4.2.3.4 Social Change
The current awareness on IWRM of all stakeholder
groups is minimal. There is water conservation and
awareness campaigns for the general public and
specific groups, but water problems persist. The general
public is aware of water issues but lack commitment to
be involved. This is may be attributed to the lack of
avenues to carry out water related programs. Thus, it is
important to provide opportunities and platforms for
networking among stakeholders and implementers of
water projects in the country.
On education, there are no IWRM specific courses in
pre-school, primary and secondary school levels.
However, water issues are taught indirectly through
existing syllabus. IWRM is taught as a sub-set of other
courses at the tertiary level. There is also the lack of
trained teachers on this subject and a need for a
framework to implement the water related courses in
schools.
4.2.3.5 Conflict Resolution
There are at present not many cases of water use con-
flicts between different water users in Malaysia. Though,
conflicts do arise from time to time, in water-stress areas
during droughts between different users, e.g. potable and
irrigation water use. In the rural areas of Sabah and
Sarawak, where villages depends on gravity-fed river
water conflicts do arise between the villagers and the log-
ging companies that cause pollution to the village water
sources. All pertinent agencies need to institute effective
stakeholder consultations when carrying out the develop-
ment and implementation of any water related projects,
to minimize the possibility of future conflicts.
4.2.3.6 Regulatory
As previously mentioned, the regulatory control of water
resources in the country is still fragmented and sector
based. Increase awareness need to be developed, to
ensure a concrete national policy framework, to help
facilitate the respective sector agencies with enforcement
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powers, to act in a coherent way to achieve the
objectives of IWRM in the country. The 3 IWRM
workshops carried out in this project has sensitized all
the pertinent stakeholders on what needs to be done and
the immediate next-step to be taken to enable IWRM to
be implemented effectively on the ground, by all
agencies.
4.2.3.7 Economic
The use of economic instrument to complement the use
of institutional, regulatory, technical and other kinds of
tools in the water sector is currently not widespread in
Malaysia. The Economic Planning Unit has developed a
booklet to educate users on how it can be done.
However, there is not enough incentives for the agencies
to adopt the "total cost" paradigm in its financial and
budgeting approach. The use of economic instruments
will enable the appropriate incentives be given to adopt
the "total cost" approach. The formation of a joint
National IWRM coordinating committee among key
IWRM sector agencies may facilitate the pertinent
agencies to adopt economic instruments as part of the
strategy to move towards the desired "total cost"
paradigm.
4.2.3.8 Information Management
There is increased used of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) to capture, store,
analyze and disseminate information. Each of the
water-related sector agencies has developed their own
ICT infrastructure and databases to support their work.
There is a need to facilitate the sharing of information.
For spatial information, the Malaysian Centre for
Geospatial Data
Infrastructure (MaGDI) has been set-up as a
clearinghouse for such information, stored in the form of
GIS maps. There is also a need to develop a system for
sharing non-spatial information.
4.3 The Way Forward
The workshops recommend the formation of a Steering
Committee (SC), with representatives from all
stakeholders to facilitate the continued discussion and to
follow-up on the inter-sectors IWRM issues identified in
this Workshop. The SC shall be chaired by the Secretary
General of NRE and responsible to take the
recommendations and outputs from IWRM2005
activities, to the Government for further action until a
formal Permanent Committee is formed under the
National Water Resources Council (NWRC). The SC
should also established a communication mechanism,
preferably a website, to keep all the stakeholders
informed on the progress of the development of the
National IWRM Strategic Plan based on the framework
provided by the outputs from this Workshop.
The immediate action need to be taken in creating
awareness of the issues highlighted, through public
forum and by disseminating information gathered. There
is a need to present the findings to the SC and National
Water Resources Council (NWRC), consisting of major
stakeholders, for decisions on further actions. The
recommendations to NWRC may include the setting up
of a Permanent Technical Committee (PTC) where the
main function of this committee is to facilitate
main-streaming of water resources, IWRM and IRBM
implementation as well as the preparation and used of
river basin master plans and integrated shoreline
management plans. The PTC have to ensure greater
networking and better partnerships, creating common
platforms, identifying commitments at the various levels
and to increase awareness and capacity building. Other
responsibility involves coordinating and stream-lined
issues at both state and federal levels as well as to report
back to NWRC on the development of IWRM
implementation and its impact to the country.
Above all, sufficient funding for both curative and
preventive measures should be provided and it should
cover studies and/or dialogues to integrate the various
sector plans; studies for integrated legal framework;
grants, seed money and budget lines for the various
advocacy groups to ensure awareness improvements,
capacity building, community case studies and Best
Management Practices.
The developed status is targeted by 2020, in which time,
"the country is developed, the environment remains
pristine". There remain a timeline of 13 years which
should provide ample time to streamline the National
Integrated Water Resources Management Plan. The
Permanent Technical Committee, after dialogue,
deliberation and study should be able to recommend
NWRC on the strategies to be achieved in the short term,
medium term and by 2020.
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