KLANG: A river rehabilitation expert from Shanghai, China, has proposed to the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor state government to rehabilitate Klang River.

The expert is confident that Chinese technology will be able to completely clean up the heavily polluted Klang River, even to turn it into a source of drinkable water.

The expert has recently met Ronnie Liu, the state exco in charge of local government, research and development.

Ronnie told Sin Chew Daily that he would reflect the views of the Shanghai expert to the menteri besar.

"If feasible, and pricing is reasonable, the Chinese expert could be commissioned to clean up Klang River."

He said, after studying the degree of pollution of Klang River, the Chinese expert was confident that the technology employed in China could be used here to clean up Klang River, even to turn it into a source of drinkable water.

He said as a matter of fact, the water of Klang River was not as dirty as some have imagined.

In order to prove what Ronnie had said, Sin Chew Daily reporter made a field trip to the river and was surprised to see large fishes swimming in it.

Anglers have also noticed that more and more fishes are available in the river nowadays.

Residents in Klang are used to the sight of garbage floating on the river, and could be forgiven for not remembering how crystal clear the river used to be.

According to those who have been living in the town for decades, Klang River used to be very clean and uncontaminated during the early years. They said local residents loved to fish on the river banks and were often rewarded with good catches, especially shrimps.

However, like any river flowing through rapidly developing cities around the world, Klang River could not be exempted from heavy pollution, and the water has gradually changed from being crystal clear to brownish.

Besides, local residents have also treated the river as a dumping ground, resulting in all kinds of garbage drifting on it.

It was even said crocodiles used to appear in the river during the early years.

It has become an undeniable fact that Klang residents love to fish, and many of them hang around the port. Pier 7A for boats plying between Port Klang and Pulau Ketam has been popular among anglers especially in the evenings.

And because fishing is such a popular hobby there, the local authorities have to put up signs to prohibit fishing around the bridges.

Other major fishing spots include the bridges at North Port and West Port, Bridge No 8 (Lovers' Bridge), Hainan Village private fishing pier, South Port and Pulau Ketam. Some anglers even hire boats to fish in the open sea while the more affluent would rent a yacht to engage in their hobby. (Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)