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MALAYSIA has positioned itself at the forefront of international water governance as it opened the 6th International Conference on Water Resources (ICWR 2025) today in Kuala Lumpur, calling for urgent, science-based and integrated responses to escalating climate threats.
Themed “Embracing Change for a Resilient Future in Water Resources”, the conference was officiated by Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
In his keynote, he warned of mounting climate-related pressures such as severe flooding, river pollution and prolonged drought, and called for “coordinated and adaptive strategies” to protect water security.
“Climate change and environmental degradation demand not just policy, but innovation and partnership,” he said in Putrajaya today.
Held in partnership with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), the Humid Tropics Centre Kuala Lumpur (HTC KL), and UNESCO-IHP Malaysia, ICWR 2025 is aligned with the UNESCO IHP-IX Strategic Framework (2022–2029), which focuses on innovation, education, data-sharing and evidence-based governance.
Among those attending the opening ceremony were Dato’ Haji Mad Zaidi bin Mohd Karli, Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), Professor Dr Shamsul bin Sahibuddin of UTM, and Ir. Haji Mohd Azmin Bin Hussin, Deputy Director General of DID Malaysia.
Malaysia is concurrently advancing several major water initiatives under the 13th Malaysia Plan, including large-scale flood mitigation projects in high-risk zones such as Sungai Johor and Sungai Pahang, the deployment of artificial intelligence in early warning systems, and a national Water Transformation Roadmap aimed at reducing non-revenue water, expanding recycling, and cultivating innovation across sectors.
The Deputy Minister noted that Malaysia is also promoting new urban solutions such as sponge city guidelines, elevated housing, and flood-resistant building materials, in addition to strengthening collaboration between federal, state, and private stakeholders to ensure long-term water sustainability.
Recent environmental crises have underscored the urgency.
In 2024, Malaysia experienced intense drought linked to El Niño, severely impacting water supply. More recently, catastrophic flooding in Johor Bahru’s Skudai River Basin displaced communities and disrupted critical services.
PETRA has also flagged rising pollution, with 27 of 672 monitored rivers nationally classified as polluted — largely due to industrial, agricultural, and domestic discharge.
Running until 25 September, ICWR 2025 aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, strengthen international cooperation, and elevate Malaysia’s role as a hub for regional water innovation.
The event also reflects the broader vision of Malaysia MADANI, which champions sustainable development rooted in innovation, resilience, and inclusive growth.
In a statement, the Ministry affirmed: “ICWR 2025 is not merely a technical gathering — it is a platform for shaping water futures that are resilient, equitable, and prepared for the realities of a changing world.” - September 23, 2025
