BANGI: Water can be to Malaysia what oil is to the Middle East, if the country knows how to take advantage of the wellspring of opportunities out there.

National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (Nahrim) director-general Dr Salmah Zakaria said Malaysia has great potential to be the regional expert in water management and climate change adaptation strategies.

"With our oil depleting, we should be developing our local expertise and selling it to the world. Climate change has opened up opportunities for Malaysians to offer their expertise internationally."

She said the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, through Nahrim, is carrying out extensive research on the potential impact of climate change on our water resources.

Nahrim's efforts are paying off when it was appointed as the Regional Water Knowledge Hub for Water and Climate Change Adaptation in Southeast Asia on Monday.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas launched the event, which coincided with the Regional Workshop on Developing Partnerships for Water and Climate Change Adaptation in Southeast Asia held at a hotel here.

"This means there will be active information sharing between the countries, with Malaysia paving the way in water and climate change adaptation strategies," she said.

Salmah said the country is rapidly adopting the "river basin perspective", a more sustainable approach to water management.

"The river basin approach is the best way as we manage our water from the catchment areas, as it flows downstream into the tributaries and Finally out to the sea."