PETRA To Drive National Water Policy For Sustainable Supply - Fadillah

KOTA BHARU, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- The Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (PETRA) is committed to strengthening the implementation of the National Water Policy as a driver for transforming the national water sector, ensuring safe, viable and sustainable water supply for the people.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said this effort will not only enhance the security of the country’s water resources but also drive Malaysia towards becoming a dynamic water hub with potential contributions to economic development, job creation, and facilitating research and development (R&D).

“In this context, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) plays an important role in strengthening cooperation at the federal, state and local government levels towards integrated water management.

“The transformation of the water sector towards more efficient water management requires an integrated information system to safeguard water security and ensure ecosystem sustainability for a better future,” he said.

He was speaking at the 2025 JPS Senior Managers and District Engineers Conference here today, which was also attended by Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud.

Fadillah, who is also Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, said efficient and sustainable water resource management remains one of the main focuses of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), especially as issues of clean water supply security and changing rainfall patterns due to climate change become increasingly critical.

Under Thrust A7 — Strengthening Flood Mitigation and Adaptation — the government emphasises implementing more comprehensive, integrated and innovative strategies to increase the nation’s resilience to increasingly complex and high-impact flood disasters.

“As the main technical agency in managing national water resources, PETRA hopes JPS will continue to lead in ensuring integrated, sustainable and resilient water resource management in Malaysia.

“JPS is also expected to strengthen its role as a facilitator of the national water policy at the state and district levels so that there are no gaps in planning and implementing water-related projects,” he added.

-- BERNAMA