II. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF DEVELOPMENT
B. Water pollution
According to the Department of the Environment-Federal Territory, the water in Malaysia, particularly in the rivers, contains very high levels of suspended solids either from earthworks or land-clearing activities (Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment, 1995). The major culprits are, perhaps, developers and construction sites. The Klang River that runs through the city is probably the most polluted waterway in the country as it also receives silt and sedimentation from upstream activities in the State of Selangor which has more polluting industries. Another major source of pollution comes in the form of solid wastes from irresponsible squatters and residents along the river banks. Among the industries that help contribute to the river pollution in Kuala Lumpur are: industrial manufacturers, metal finishing plants, rubber-based production facilities, food and beverage producers and paper factories. They comprise mainly small to medium-scale industries which are operating without any form of proper wastewater treatment facilities (Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan, 1984).