The FAO-ESCAP pilot project on national water visions. From vision ...

VI. CONCLUSIONS
<strong>The</strong> effective implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM) will contribute to
the realization of the national water vision in 2025. Reform and initiatives are needed to provide an
adequate and enabling environment for this purpose. <strong>The</strong>y include:
• An IWRM awareness-raising campaign in political and technical circles and among the public to
gain active support at all levels.
• Reform of the institutional framework for the integrated planning and regulation of water
resources, the water rights system and environmental issues (through legislation).
• Strict implementation and enforcement of laws and policies and streamlining of the bureaucracy
(through executive orders).
• Improvement of data and information, including a review and rehabilitation of the data collection
network for surface water, groundwater and water quality.
• Enhanced transfer of knowledge and information based on global experiences and best practices
on all aspects of IWRM – policy, law, management procedures, etc.
• Capacity building for both professionals and institutions.
• Research and development to develop and disseminate knowledge, methods and tools to facilitate
comprehension of the complex water system, forecast its long-term dynamics and compare the
impact of various policies and management approaches with the institutional framework.
Many different visions can be described. Without some positive vision, without some thought about
what truly sustainable water use means, Malaysia risks continuing on a path that will take her further
and further in the wrong direction. Whether we succeed in ensuring that the future we want is the
future we get will depend almost entirely on whether large numbers of people, water experts,
specialists in other fields, policymakers and stakeholders generally, are convinced it is the future we
need. <strong>The</strong> way forward to realize the national water vision is to establish associated programmes in
the Eighth Malaysian Plan and the Third Outline Perspective Plan. Water is everybody’s business and
we should endeavour to make every drop count.
REFERENCES
1. Government of Malaysia/JICA, 1982. National Water Resources Study, Malaysia, Sectoral
Report, Volume 18
2. Water Supply Branch, Public Works Department, 1998. Malaysia Water Industry Report
97/98
3. Keizrul Abdullah and Azuhan Mohamed, 1998. Water – A situation appraisal and possible
actions at the community level. Seminar on local communities and the environment II,
Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
4. Economic Planning Unit, 1996. Seventh Malaysian Plan 1996-2000
5. Sewerage Services Department, 1998. Sewerage Services Report 1994-1997
6. Department of Environment, 1999. Malaysia Environmental Quality Report 1998
7. Shahrizaila Abdullah, 1999. Towards a Malaysian and global vision for water, life and the
environment. Workshop on the sustainable management of water resources in Malaysia – a
review of practical options, Shah Alam, Malaysia
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