From: Nur Imani Abdullah via e-mail
“Disgusting!” This term is often heard when referring to public toilets in Malaysia, which comes as no surprise as ours do not have a good reputation of being clean by any stretch of the imagination.
The awareness level of public toilet cleanliness in the country is still low and according to 2013 statistics, only 61 per cent of 10,257 public toilets were reported to be in a satisfactory state.
Toilets are one public facility used by all segments of society, including tourists from abroad. Hence, the nation’s image is tarnished by filthy public toilets, a sad but clear indication of the lack of civic-mindedness in our society.
Dirty toilets show that the public is less concerned about hygiene and irresponsible in maintaining the cleanliness of public facilities. However, maintaining the cleanliness of public toilets should be considered part of patriotism as the country’s dignity is at stake.
The most common offences are:
- Not flushing after use;
- Squatting on toilet seats;
- Disposing tissue, cigarette butts and sanitary pads into the toilet bowl;
- Leaving pools of water on the floor;
- Wasting tissue paper and dirtying the toilet floor; and
- Not disposing of trash in the bins provided.
It has been suggested that a gross lack of a “sense of belonging” could be another factor contributing to the low level of public toilet cleanliness as many think it is the sole responsibility of cleaners.
However, it cannot be stressed enough that maintaining the cleanliness of public toilets is everyone’s responsibility.
Having access to safe and clean toilets should be considered a part of human rights. Therefore, the urban wellbeing, housing and local government ministry must intensify its public toilet campaigns to ensure ours achieve a 3-star rating at the very least. In addition, local authorities should regularly supervise the cleaning contractors, who have been appointed to ensure the country’s public toilets are in good condition and are safe for use.
In conjunction with World Toilet Day this Saturday, Nov 19, let us together move forward in achieving a 5-star rating for private and public toilets in the country.
Nur Imani Abdullah is the research and policy executive for water and energy, at the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca).
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