CYBERJAYA: A short video competition organised by the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) aims to kickstart a movement to raise awareness about the importance of conserving water usage especially among the youth.
SPAN chairman Charles Santiago said the competition, via WaterWise, was an initiative aimed at raising awareness about water security and sustainability.
It will run from Thursday (Dec 19) until Jan 9, next year.
“This is a new movement to start discussions on how to save water.
“We want to empower the youth by starting the conversation of water conservation with their families and parents.
“The youth are creative with social media and they can bring forward the issues through the platforms,” he said in a press conference.
Charles said the competition is part of SPAN’s six month programme to raise awareness on water conservation among the youth.
Other activities include engaging with schools to promote saving water as well as dialogue sessions between the youth and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“They can share their worries and concerns about water conservation and the future with the Prime Minister.
“For example, Malaysians tend to use around 274l of water daily, that is more than the recommended 50l to 100l by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“Such discussions and activities would allow the youth more involved in having a say and influence policy makers on matters involving water conservation.
“At home, they could suggest measures such as collecting rain water to their families,” Charles said.
Through this creative competition, Malaysians, especially school children, university students and youths, can play their part in protecting water, as one of the nation’s most vital resources.
The competition is open to three key categories - school students (primary and secondary), university students, and youths aged 18 to 30.
The competition encourages participants to submit one-minute videos addressing themes such as the impact of climate change on water resources, including floods and droughts; water pollution, including plastic waste, toxic chemicals, and improper disposal of industrial waste; and personal responsibility in water conservation, such as fixing leaks, using water wisely, and reducing waste.
Attractive prizes also await those who submit their videos. Those who win first place will receive cash prizes of up to RM5,000 for youth category and RM3,000 university category and RM1,500 for school students.
For more details, visit SPAN’s official website https://www.span.gov.my/ or official social media channels.
