Six joint-degree Master of Science programme students from Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) have brought attention to the issue of inland river flooding in the Bernam River Basin as part of a high-impact assignment during their internship in the Netherlands.
Focusing on a comprehensive situation analysis to assess the impact of various threats on both socio-economic and environmental systems in the river basin, the students are undergoing their internship from 1 July to 31 August 2025.
Hosted by Deltares—an independent, not-for-profit institute with over a century of expertise in coastal and delta sustainability—and supported by Royal HaskoningDHV, a global engineering consultancy with a strong presence in Southeast Asia, the internship provides unparalleled exposure to real-world water management challenges.
The students are actively involved in data collection, literature review, and advanced numerical modelling, contributing directly to the development of integrated river basin and coastal management strategies.
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The participating students—Muhammad Aiman Ahmad Shakir, Muhammad Firdhaus Sanusi, Aishah Nadia Badrul Hisham, Nur Syafiqah Abdul Jalal, Nurfaqihah Mohd Hasmi, and Emam Johan Sidik—are working on a high-impact assignment focused on developing a dynamic adaptation pathways blueprint for Sabak Bernam.
“This internship not only strengthens Malaysia’s technical capacity but also accelerates our national commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals—especially SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, and SDG 13: Climate Action,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmad Shakir Mohd Saudi, Programme Coordinator at the Centre for Water Engineering Technology (CWET).
The assignment involves evaluating hydrometeorological conditions, sectoral water use, land use patterns, and river characteristics to understand the root causes of frequent inland flooding in the Bernam River Basin.
In addition, the coastal context is also being assessed, focusing on threats such as shoreline erosion, sea level rise, mangrove degradation, and salinity intrusion.
This initiative builds on the outcomes of a Dutch-led Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) workshop, aiming to tackle long-term flood and drought challenges in Malaysia through data-driven modelling and nature-based solutions.
The global internship is part of the UniKL–Deltares Global Internship Programme, launched in 2024 by CWET to provide Malaysian students with hands-on training in world-class research environments.
