At least at one of these stops, there is a sign warning them of male cleaners in the women’s restroom, but they won’t see it until they step in.

Many are now left wondering why PLUS would allow this in a conservative society like Malaysia, even if it is short of workers.

A motorist who declined to be named said she was shocked to see a man sitting on the bench at the entrance of a women’s toilet, something she had never seen in all of her long-distance travels in the country.

“Imagine my shock when I saw the signboard inside,” she told FMT. “I was uncomfortable all the time, looking out for secret cameras or someone sliding a handphone below the door.”

She said she would have walked out upon seeing the man if she had not been in desperation to use the toilet.

“The least they should have done was put the warning sign outside the toilet,” she added.

Another motorist, calling herself Faridah, said she dashed out after seeing the sign.

“I can understand that the female cleaners are mainly migrant workers and many may have gone back to their countries,” she said.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the authorities to freeze the intake of foreign workers.

“But the least they could have done was put up a signboard saying the toilet would be closed for 15 minutes to allow the male cleaners to finish their job.”

Both the motorists said a multi-billion-ringgit highway concessionaire should be going out of its way to get female cleaners, considering the huge profits it was making.

“I am sure if you pay a decent salary for this dirty, dangerous and difficult job, many Malaysians will gladly do the work,” Faridah said.

FMT is contacting PLUS for its comment.