IRBM Project Launches Implementation in the Kedah River Basin

Penang, Malaysia – The GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project officially launched implementation activities in the Kedah River Basin following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) on 16 June 2026.

The MoA was signed by Professor Ir. Dr Mariatti Jaafar Mustapha, Campus Director of the Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Engineering Campus, representing the Vice Chancellor of USM, and Ms Aimee Gonzales, Executive Director of PRF.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia (DID), the Kedah State Water Resources Board (KSWRB), and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) was also signed during the strategic partnership signing ceremony. The MoU was signed by Datuk Ir. Mohamad Radzi bin Abdul Talib, Director General of DID, Mr. Syed Amaluddin Hafeez Syed Musa, Director of KSWRB, and Professor Ir. Dr Mariatti Jaafar Mustapha, on behalf of USM.

The signing ceremony marked the formal start of the IRBM Project's implementation in the Kedah River Basin, an initiative that aims to develop sustainable and effective governance and management mechanisms to address key priority issues in the basin, including flooding, declining water quality, and sedimentation.

According to DID, the Kedah River Basin is one of the pioneering river basins in Malaysia to adopt the integrated river basin management approach through the support from the Danish International Development Agency. The Kedah River Management Plan was then developed and subsequently reviewed and strengthened by KSWRB.

Through the support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and PRF, the Project partners will work together to strengthen the coordinating mechanism for IRBM implementation in the Kedah River Basin, undertake a baseline assessment of the river basin and associated coastal areas of Kedah State, and prepare a State of River Basin Report. The Project will also support the development of an IRBM Strategic Action Plan, building on the Kedah River Basin Management Plan that incorporates both structural and non-structural measures in line with DID requirements, as well as the development and implementation of pilot projects to address priority river basin issues.

In addition to basin-level activities, partners from the Kedah River Basin will participate in regional knowledge-sharing and capacity development initiatives under the Project, including the IRBM Governance Forum in Lao PDR, the Regional Workshop on Environmental Monitoring and Reporting in Indonesia, the Regional IRBM Training of Trainers to be co-organised with DID in Malaysia, and the 11th GEF Biennial International Waters Conference in Bali.

Representatives from the partner institutions underscored the importance of collaboration, technical expertise, and shared governance in advancing integrated river basin management in the Kedah River Basin.

In his welcome remarks, Datuk Ir. Mohamad Radzi Bin Abdul Talib, Director General of DID, said,

“Today’s ceremony brings together our partners in a strengthened collaboration. USM contributes knowledge, research and innovation. KSWRB provides state leadership and governance. And finally, DID Malaysia contributes technical expertise and national coordination.”

Echoing the importance of partnership and shared responsibility, Mr Syed Amaluddin Hafeez Syed Musa, Director of KSWRB, said,

“The strategic collaboration being formalised today demonstrates our shared commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible water resources management. It reflects our recognition that effective river basin management can only be achieved through strong partnerships, knowledge sharing, and active stakeholder participation.”

Highlighting the Project’s contribution to ongoing river basin management efforts in Kedah State, Ms. Aimee Gonzales, Executive Director of PRF, said,

“The Project is complementing DID’s flagship programme on IRBM that aims to develop a holistic and practical IRBM Strategic Action Plan for Kedah River Basin which identifies critical actions that contribute to four key objectives: ensuring sufficient water, ensuring clean water, reducing flood risk, and enhancing environmental conservation.”

Speaking on the role of academic institutions in supporting implementation, Professor Ir. Dr Mariatti Jaafar Mustapha, Campus Director of the Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Engineering Campus, USM, said,

“The university is confident that this Project will be successfully implemented and will serve as an important reference in strengthening policies and best practices towards a more integrated and sustainable approach to water resource management in Malaysia.”

Representatives from DID, KSWRB, Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (METWT), Kedah State Economic Planning Unit (KSEPU), Malaysia’s Operational Focal Point for the GEF, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), the River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre (REDAC) of USM, strategic partners, and members of the media attended the ceremony.

Following the signing ceremony, project partners convened to discuss implementation arrangements and opportunities for collaboration to support effective project delivery through 2027. Discussions also explored USM’s designation as an IRBM Learning Centre under the umbrella of the PEMSEA Network of Learning Centres.

Supported by the Global Environment Facility, the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project is working to establish functional management mechanisms in priority river basins across six ASEAN countries to reduce pollution, sustain freshwater environmental flows, and strengthen resilience to climate change. The regional Project is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme Bangkok Regional Hub and executed by Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia, in collaboration with ASEAN.

For more information, please contact Orange Omengan: oomengan@pemsea.org.

Words and photos by Orange Omengan.

Thumbnail by James Lo/Unsplash.