Potensi instrumen moral dalam melestarikan sumber air di Malaysia - Kajian kes Sungai Melaka (The prospect of using moral instruments in sustaining water resources in Malaysia - A case study of the Melaka River)

Abstract

Teknologi rawatan air, polisi air, dan akta air telah diajukan bagi melestarikan sumber air, namun di Malaysia sungai Melaka masih tercemar. Kajian ini dijalankan untuk menilai penilaian moral terhadap sumber air lestari di sungai Melaka. Kaedah yang digunakan melibatkan pengumpulan data kuantitatif melalui soal selidik. Sebanyak 400 sampel soal selidik diedarkan kepada responden yang tinggal berhampiran dengan sungai Melaka memandangkan pengalaman dan pengetahuan mereka mengenai sumber air semula jadi, khususnya sungai Melaka. Perspektif responden terhadap empat pembolehubah (peranan individu dalam mewujudkan sikap prihatin dan menghormati alam sekitar, peranan ibu bapa dalam memupuk sifat kasih sayang terhadap alam sekitar, peranan masyarakat dalam mengembeling nilai murni agama dan moral terhadap alam sekitar) disukat dengan menggunakan lima skala Likert (sangat tidak setuju, tidak setuju, biasa, setuju, sangat setuju). Hasil analisis statistik menunjukkan bahawa bahawa sebahagian besar responden menyatakan setuju dan sangat setuju dengan pembolehubah peri pentingnya peranan individu dalam mewujudkan sikap prihatin dan menghormati alam sekitar (88.5%), peranan ibu bapa dalam memupuk sikap menyayangi alam sekitar (84.8%), peranan masyarakat dalam mengembeling sikap melindungi alam sekitar (82.8%), dan peranan pendidikan nilai murni agama dan moral terhadap alam sekitar (60.3%). Dapatan ini menunjukkan potensi instrumen moral dalam melestarikan pengurusan sumber alam khususnya sumber air di Sungai Melaka.

Katakunci: instrumen moral, kelestarian sumber air, pendidikan alam sekitar, pengurusan sumber air, sumber alam, sumber air

In many countries water treatment technologies, water policies, and water acts are adopted to ensure sustainable management of water resources, but in Malaysia the Melaka River is still polluted. This study was conducted to assess the potential of using moral instruments in promoting sustainable management of the Melaka river water resources. Primary data were collected through questionnaire surveys of 400 adult members of the local public who lived within the vicinity of the river. The respondent perspectives of four key variables (the role of individuals in fostering environmental care and respect, the role of parents in fostering love for the natural environment, the role of society and local community in promoting environmental protection, and the educational role of environmentfriendly religious and moral values) were measured by means of five Likert scales (highly disagreeable, not agreeable, indifferent, agreeable, highly agreeable). Statistical analyses revealed that the majority of respondents agreed to the role of individuals in fostering environmental care and respect (88.5%), the role of parents in fostering love for the natural environment (84.8%), the role of society and local community in promoting environmental protection (82.8%), and the educational role of environment-friendly religious and moral values (60.3%). These findings indicate that moral values can be made instrumental to the sustainable management of the Melaka river water resources.

Katakunci: environmental education, moral instruments, natural resources, sustainable water resource, water resources, water resource management