Stuif's Adventures

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Most polluted waterfall in Malaysia!
Malaysia has many beautiful waterfalls. Unfortunately, pollution by irresponsible visitors is often a problem.
Recently I visited, with my friends Joe and Rahim, a waterfall in the Ulu Yam region, which can probably be rated as the most polluted waterfall of Malaysia.

When you drive from the Batu Caves to Ulu Yam, you will first pass the Batu reservoir and a few km further the Sg Tua waterfalls on your left. On the right side of the road are three access points to the Selangor State Park. The Batu river, flowing here, is a popular destination for picnicking, swimming and bathing.

Halfway between the Batu Caves and Ulu Yam, you pass a watershed and reach the valley of the Liam river. Only known to locals, without any signboard, this river has two attractive waterfalls, just beside the road, where there is place to park a few cars. There are a few sheds, water treatment machinery, that's all.

This easy access is probably the reason for the appalling condition of these falls. The rubbish,the scattered leftovers of barbecue and lunch, it is beyond description. The pictures speak for themselves.

The falls themselves are beautiful, the river both upstream and downstream is unspoiled, the water is clear and fresh.

Joe is active with her Waterfall Survivors in SOW (Save Our Waterfalls) campaigns, and of course she is thinking what can be done about these Liam Falls.

A cleaning operation is needed but will not be enough. The Selangor State should take care about these falls, as they have done for the Batu river.

We still had a pleasant day, saw mating snakes, had a nice bath and finally a delicious lunch at the WK restaurant in Ulu Yam, where I unexpectedly met a good friend.

Life is good in Malaysia, but it would be even better if people would become more aware of the vulnerable nature around them!

The Batu reservoir
 

A Malaysian folly near the reservoir
 

Water treatment plant at Sg Liam
 

Start of the rubbish
 

The catchment area
 

Detail
 

Upstream the river is unspoilt
 

Rubbish near the catchment
 

Collage of rubbish
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Local schoolboys, skipping class
 

A tributary of Sg Liam, passing under the road
 

Appalling
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Beautiful fall
 

Mating snakes!
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Swimming snake
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Here the fall looks clean
 

But it is not!
 

The location is superb
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But the rubbish...
 

The beauty of nature
 

Joe and Rahim near the upper fall
 

It looks so clean here
 

But it is not
 

Lower fall
 

Long exposure picture
 

Downstream the river is again unspoilt
 

An abandoned (haunted!) house
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Rahim in a happy mood
 

After he caught a fish
 

Man and nature
 

Having fun in the water
 

But actually it is a sad situation
 

My personal marker
 

Symbolic
 

The WK restaurant in Ulu Yam
 

Delicous food
 

Unexpected meeting with friends..:-)!
 

wrote on Jun 2, 2010:
Yeah, Boon Chee told me that earlier before your posting. I think this could be the most littered but not most polluted. My vote still goes to Serendah, where I doubt the quality of the water.

wrote on Jun 2, 2010:
Always a problem in Malaysia, wherever the destination.

Liz wrote on Jun 2, 2010:
The waterfall at Templers Park used to be a rubbish dump. Such a pity people can't respect natural places.

Dan wrote on Jun 2, 2010:
feel ashamed Malaysians .... very ashamed..

wrote on Jun 2, 2010:
snakes certainly have an affinity with your camera /stephen

wrote on Jun 2, 2010:
if henry were here he would be doing his jungle thing from the fallen log. /stephen

wrote on Jun 3, 2010:
Yes, I thought Templers Park is the most dirty one? and few from my hometown, Kelantan...

Kwai Loh wrote on Jun 3, 2010:
Templer's Park is quite bad, especially around the campsite near the fall, but believe me, this one is worse.

lightlingmk2 wrote on Jun 3, 2010:
just shake your head, walk past, and don't spoil your mood. there's plenty of these all over.

lightlingmk2 wrote on Jun 3, 2010:
You have captured a rarely seen python in the mating. The other snake has red markings ?

lightlingmk2 wrote on Jun 3, 2010:
This is not python.

lightlingmk2 wrote on Jun 3, 2010:
Strong house - going for sale ?

lightlingmk2 wrote on Jun 6, 2010:

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