KUALA LUMPUR: UEM Sunrise Bhd will collaborate with the Universiti Malaya (UM) Faculty of Science to assess the water quality and heavy metal content of Kepong Metropolitan Park's 57-hectare lake in Kuala Lumpur.
It has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UM through its joint venture subsidiary Mega Legacy (M) Sdn Bhd (MLMSB) with Melati Ehsan Group.
The lake is situated next to UEM Sunrise's Kiara Bay township.
The MoU was signed by MLMSB chairperson Zaida Khalida Shaari and UM Faculty of Science dean Zulqarnain Mohamed, witnessed by Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
UEM Sunrise chief executive officer and MLMSB director Sufian Abdullah, and UEM Group Bhd managing director Datuk Mohd Izani Ghani were also present to witness the signing.
According to a statement, the water quality evaluation was necessary to activate Kiara Bay's waterfront development within the integrated township, ensuring a safe and pleasant environment for the community's enjoyment and activation of various water activities.
"We have long recognised the need to balance contributions to the environment, society, and economy in all our developments and townships that fulfil communities' social, physical, and spiritual needs.
"The Kepong Metropolitan Park serves as a communal recreational facility for the public to come together and engage in leisure activities. For this reason, we want to ensure that it is well-preserved and sustainable by being the first property developer to collaborate with Universiti Malaya on the water assessment exercise," said UEM Sunrise chief executive officer and MLMSB director Sufian Abdullah.
MLMSB's collaboration with UM also serves as a testament to UEM Sunrise's Sustainability Blueprint 1.0, anchored by four core pillars: liveability, affordability, sustainability, and resilience.
The MoU outlines two phases of the initiative, which are being financed via a grant provided by UEM Group, the parent company of UEM Sunrise.
In phase one, UM will test the water quality for the presence of heavy metals and sediments, as well as the lake's microbiological contents. This will determine the necessary steps to be taken in the second phase, based on the findings and recommendations gathered, to restore the quality of the lake's water.
These findings will also determine Kiara Bay's design development and future placemaking programmes. It is worth noting that the treatment of the lake will also be a stepping stone in preserving aquatic life and biodiversity, as maintaining the lake is crucial for the ecosystem.
Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said that the MOU demonstrates that much can be done to protect and improve Malaysia's environment through the common efforts of all sectors of the nation, including the government, private sector, and academia.
"The preservation, for the public, of Kepong Metropolitan Park and its lake is absolutely essential. Moving forward, we hope to see more such collaborations towards making Malaysia's urban spaces more liveable and towards greater sustainability in the nation as a whole," he said.