LAUSR

As water scarcity increases globally due to rapid population growth, unsustainable use, water degradation and climate change, water security is increasingly becoming a serious and growing concern. Sustainable water resources management and development are central to addressing this pressing concern. One of the ways forward is through the development of multi-purpose dams. However, dam development is often mired with controversies over its environmental and social impacts. It is anticipated that multipurpose dam development is going to gain attention in Malaysia; the question at issue is not only about the multi-purpose dam development per se, but the sustainable water resources management. This article attempts to discuss water security issues in the Malaysian context, the needs for sustainable water resources management and environmentally sustainable multi-purpose dam development.