School toilet clubs can nurture good habits

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: The 10,000 schools in the country can lead the way in nurturing good toilet habits among Malaysians by setting up toilet clubs.
Proposing this, Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew said the role of teachers and students was vital and they formed a good network to reach out to society.
“I hope the Education Ministry can consider this and get the education departments to implement the proposal,” he said yesterday.
Lau, who heads the ministry's nationwide clean toilet campaign – a joint exercise with the 145 local authorities in the country – said help and support from the Education and other ministries, including Health and Tourism, as well as related government agencies and the private sector, was vital for the success of the campaign.
Lau, who also chairs the newly set-up Quality Restrooms Association of Malaysia (QRAM), said there must be on-going and concerted efforts towards cleaner public toilets and nurturing good and clean toilet habits among Malaysians.
The country observed World Toilet Day on Nov 19, with Lau launching the national level celebrations at Taman Tasik Shah Alam.
The celebrations, together with a three-day exhibition beginning Nov 18, drew a huge crowd.
Random interviews with those manning the exhibition booths at the venue spoke volumes of the people’s bad habits.
“There was a lot of food and some visitors just threw their unfinished food and styrofoam containers into the lake,” said an exhibitor.
“So you can imagine what they will do when they are alone inside public toilets.”