Flush out bad habits

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: The country’s public toilets will soon have a law to protect its image, design as well as ensuring proper maintenance.
Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew said the Malaysian Toilet Standards (MTS) would be implemented soon. It would not only ensure the cleanliness but also “accord a proper social status to the facility”.
“You cannot live without me but yet you treat me like dirt,” he said to emphasise the present condition and treatment of public toilets in the country.
The MTS will cover three areas – design, maintenance and grading.
And to begin with, he said the adherence to the MTS would be a criterion for licences for new premises and also renewal for existing ones under local authorities nationwide this year.
“My ministry will provide the guidelines to the local authorities for implementation,” he said in an interview.
The MTS is jointly drafted by the ministry, Sirim, Malaysian Institute of Architects, Works Ministry, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and industry players.
The drafting, which started a few years ago, would be presented to the Cabinet before implementation, he added.
“Only between 10% and 20% of public toilets are passable,” said Lau citing feedback from some local authorities which had implemented their own grading system.
He said the good toilets were usually found at rest areas along highways, some modern shopping complexes and fast food outlets while the worst were those at the coffee shops and eateries.
Malaysian Institute of Architects president Dr Tan Loke Mun suggested that the MTS be also imposed on schools and institutes of higher learning.
“Those who are really concerned over toilets do not have the say. Cost has always been a prevailing factor and unfortunately toilets are given very low priority when it comes to development funding,” he said.
Dr Tan said the problem with public toilets starts in schools which had such poor facilities.
“The people’s wrong attitude towards toilets could be traced to their bad recollections of the terrible condition of their school toilets.”
To inculcate a good toilet culture in schools, he suggested that students be given a role like providing inputs for the toilet design and the choice of tiles.