Hulu Terengganu group wins 2026 water award after turning river landing into destination
Kalang Rengas CBT took first place in AKSA 2026 and received a RM20,000 development grant and a plaque of appreciation.
A community group from Hulu Terengganu has shown that looking after a river can also bring in money. The 2026 Special Water Resources Award (AKSA) went first to Kalang Rengas Community-Based Tourism (CBT), whose work converted an old riverside landing point into a recreational spot built around nature.
A river landing becomes a destination
Chief Operating Officer Zulhafiz Zarriq Abd Hadi, 33, said visitors can try kayaking, camping and team-building, and that local businesses and service providers benefit financially. He said local retail outlets and small-scale contractors have seen a positive economic spillover. Higher education institutions have also taken an interest and are researching the water quality of the Berang River.
The Berang River is at the centre of the group's activities. A seven-kilometre stretch of it, known as "Little Amazon", has been planted with keruing and neram trees as part of the conservation work.
Zulhafiz said the rivers are a legacy from earlier generations, and that it is up to people today to make sure future generations can enjoy them too. "If the community itself does not take the initiative to care for the river, who else will?" he told Bernama after the awards ceremony, which was held in Sibu with the 2026 National-Level World Rivers Day celebrations. Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg officiated.
Other winners share their advice
As winner, CBT Kalang Rengas took home a development grant worth RM20,000, together with a plaque in appreciation. The Sungai Terap River Ranger Community placed second and won RM15,000, while Taman Jajar Urban Farming came third and won RM10,000.
Sungai Terap River Ranger secretary Nur Abidah Ahmad, 36, from Batu Gajah, Perak, said conservation can start with simple steps such as collecting litter, then grow into environmental education programmes and river monitoring. In her view, long-term continuity depends on young people getting involved, alongside joint work between the private sector, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and government agencies.
Yew Mun Choong, 58, chairman of Kebun Taman Jajar Sungai Ara in Penang, said a river initiative does not need many people at the start and can begin with a few committed individuals. "Start with two or three people. Once the community sees a change, more will come forward to join the effort," he said. He also encouraged companies to back community-led efforts through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.
About the award and the celebrations
AKSA was introduced in 2019. Nine nominations came in for the latest edition, and a shortlist of four went forward for deeper assessment that included site visits to verify their work.
Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is Deputy Prime Minister as well as Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said looking after rivers is a responsibility shared by the younger generation, NGOs, the industrial sector, communities and the government. According to him, PETRA, the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, arranged a range of activities on education, awareness, recreation and community engagement so that river stewardship would be encouraged among people of every age. The majority have already taken place, among them Zumba sessions, a river walk, a colouring contest, pocket talks, photography and videography competitions, and a fishing competition on the Rajang River. Areas around the Sibu and Kapit divisions also hosted the National Water Resources Expedition (EKSAN), in which participants travelled along rivers.
