Kuala Lumpur, 23rd September 2023 – World Rivers Day is an annual celebration to highlight and appreciate the many values of rivers. This year, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Kuala Lumpur once again took the initiative to host an event in conjunction with the celebration at Sungai Bunus, a river that flows nine kilometres long that starts and ends in Kuala Lumpur.
UTM KL, represented by the Centre for Community and Industry Network (CCIN), Institut Sultan Iskandar (UTM-ISI), Perpustakaan Sultanah Zanariah (PSZ), Campus Sustainability Unit (UTMCS), and Malaysian-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) co-organise this event together with the Persatuan Kebun Bandar Sungai Bunus, Perunding Ir. Azman, Pemuda GEMA Kuala Lumpur, EcoKnights, and Jungle Ambassador. The event is also supported by Local Agenda 21 (LA21), Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
The event starts in the morning with a nine-kilometre fun cycle starting at the Kolej Vokasional Setapak and ending at Kebun Bandar Sungai Bunus. Then, the program continues with aerobic exercise, followed by plogging, an SDG awareness program, a sustainability-related book showcase, and a cooking demo by Chef Liza. Throughout the event, there are also booths that provide free food and drinks.
The program has attracted more than 200 participants and 170 cyclists participating in the fun cycle event. According to the Program Director, Dr. Wan Nurul Mardiah Wan Mohd Rani, Deputy Director II, Institut Sultan Iskandar UTMKL, “The objective of this event is achieved with the overwhelming participation and involvement from the staff of UTMKL as well as the public, thus making this program a success”. She also hopes that the benefits of this event will continue to be replicated in other rivers to spread awareness of river conservation and preservation.