I had a chance to cruise along the Malacca River, the in charge person gave us briefing about some of the history, culture, and the rehabilitation process of Malacca River. The Malacca River cuts across Malacca town and it separates the civic district clustered at the foot of St Paul's Hill, from the residential and commercial district of Heeren Street and Jonker Street. The ride takes us along the river all the way to Kampung Morten which is around 10KM far. In the ancient time, Malacca River acts as a central point or place in which the traders or businessman will have to pass through this route. This is because of its strategic location.

In recent year, the Malacca River has been cleaned up and rehabilitated from one of the dirtiest river in Malaysia became a role model of other state. The Malacca River has improved to gred B and they are trying to improve it to gred A.

Along the cruise, we saw some old shop house with warehouse at their back so that they can unload or load goods directly from the river. However, this barter activities from Indonesia has been shifted to elsewhere and the river is now solely for tourism purposes. 

The boat rider also brought us to tidal barrage door at the end of the river. This door is to control the flow and water volume in Malacca River. Then, he told us about the cleaning process of Malacca River. The water will be release once it water level height reached 7 meters. Usually the water will be release during 2-3am every day as this is high tide period. Then, they let sea water flow into the river and close the gate to let the river water mix with sea water. The mixing process of sea water helps to remove odor of river caused by organic matter found in river. Then, the water will be released to the sea through the gate built between Malacca River and sea.  This flushing process remove the bad smell of Malacca River using sea water.

Besides, the Malacca River that full of rubbish and plastics bottles in the past is now being clean using rubbish collector boat which is modified by them. This boat has a hole with a net in front to trap the rubbish into it. This process only needs one boat driver and another collector. The collector is responsible to collect the big rubbish into the bin to prevent blockage. The rubbish will be collected once a day, and each process only takes around 3 hours for the whole river. This rubbish collector boat made the process of collect rubbish easy and fast if compare to last time.

Furthermore, Malacca River which previously black, smelly and full of rubbish is now cleaner with the help of University Putra Malaysia. UPM has introduced them an effective water treatment which is low in cost and sustainable. This is feasible if compare to private company which cost them around RM 25 000 per weeks. Now, the successfully achieve water quality of gred B.

In the workshop, they show us the Effective Microbe (EM) which is use to clean and remove the odor of the river. EM is made by mixing Ikan bilis, nanas, belacan, red sugar, and fresh milk with standard ratio. It will be keep for 1 week before it can be use. The red sugar contains microbe that can boost the fermentation process. We need to shake the mixture everyday and release gases from the container to prevent explode. The EM will be separate into 2 layers after time. The upper layer will be filter out and to mixed to mud and paddy husk to become mud ball.  The liquid that settle in the bottom will be dissolve in water in 1 to 3 ratios. Then the liquid or mud ball will be release to certain location that with bad odor and dirty depends on the situation.