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Water access and sanitation facilities in the Johor River Basin, Malaysia: A comparison between indigenous and more modernised communities

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Michaela Goodson, Yee Chu Kwa, Norlilawati Suboh, Professor Claire Walsh

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

© 2023 The Authors.Water access, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) data for Malaysia suggest that almost 100% of the population have access to basic sanitation and basic drinking water, but this data may not include marginalised communities and stateless individuals, indigenous or otherwise. The aim of this study was to evaluate WASH provision for residents of the Johor River Basin and evaluate the disparity in facilities between indigenous Orang Asli and more modernised communities. Questionnaires were distributed to eight communities. In total, 899 questionnaires were completed including 100 from indigenous communities and 799 from more modernised communities. Significant differences existed between communities with regard to education levels (p, 0.001), occupation (p, 0.001), household income (p, 0.001), type of toilet, sewage and sanitation facilities (p, 0.001) and perception of health risks and concerns (p, 0.001). There is a significant difference in access to water and sanitation facilities between indigenous and modernised communities. Further study is now required to understand behaviours and educate river-based communities on relevant potential health risks from water contamination in the Johor River Basin.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Goodson ML, Kwa YC, Suboh N, Sing CLI, Wei DKS, Walsh CL

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development

Year: 2023

Volume: 13

Issue: 10

Pages: 825-832

Print publication date: 01/10/2023

Online publication date: 25/09/2023

Acceptance date: 13/09/2023

Date deposited: 13/11/2023

ISSN (print): 2043-9083

ISSN (electronic): 2408-9362

Publisher: IWA Publishing

URL: https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2023.126

DOI: 10.2166/washdev.2023.126

Data Access Statement: All relevant data are included in the paper or its Supplementary Information.


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
ES/S008179/1
UK Research and Innovation's Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF)

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