KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 29): UEM Sunrise Bhd, through its joint-venture subsidiary Mega Legacy (M) Sdn Bhd (MLMSB), and Melati Ehsan Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Universiti Malaya’s (UM) Faculty of Science on Tuesday to assess the water quality and heavy metal content of the Kepong Metropolitan Park’s 140.85-acre lake.

The park is located next to the UEM Sunrise’s 72.74-acre Kiara Bay township in Kepong.

A press statement issued on Tuesday said 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.

In the statement, UEM Sunrise CEO and MLMSB director Sufian Abdullah said, “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,” Sufian said.

The MOU outlines two phases of the initiative, which is being financed via a grant provided by UEM Group, 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 content. They will compare the analysis results of the lake’s water against the National Lake Water Quality Criteria and Standards by the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2015) and National Water Quality Standard.

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, the statement said, adding that 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.

Additionally, 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.

Meanwhile, Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said, “The MOU demonstrates that much can be done in protecting as well as improving Malaysia’s environment through the common effort of all sectors of the nation, including the government, private sector and academia.

“The preservation, for the public, of the 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,” Nik Nazmi shared.

Representing UEM Group, managing director Datuk Mohd Izani Ghani said,  “We at UEM Group firmly believe that preserving the health of the lake serves a dual purpose — it safeguards our biodiversity and simultaneously paves the way for the sustainable development of Kiara Bay by UEM Sunrise. It underlines our commitment to Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) elements, reinforcing our ongoing efforts to build a better future for both our community and the wider environment.”

The MOU was signed by MLMSB chairperson Zaida Khalida Shaari and UM Faculty of Science dean Zulqarnain Mohamed while Nik Nazmi, Mohd Izani and Sufian witnessed the signing on Tuesday.