Malaysian toilets are in a poor state. Even when they are charging people 50 cents for its use, toilets are not properly maintained.

A research last year by the Hygiene Council, a global panel of medical experts, found that Malaysian kitchens are more bacteria-infested than bathrooms.

We are compromising on cleanliness. Due to poor maintenance and apathy, public toilets are known for their filthiness.

To ensure Malaysians have clean and well-maintained toilets, the standards department of Malaysia has come up with a set of standards for public toilets.

Malaysia is the first country in the world to develop a series of standards for public toilets - the Malaysian Standard (MS) for Public Toilets, which has four criterias, the minimum design criteria, inspection criteria, ratings criteria and a code of practice for maintenance.

The standard has been in place since 2006, but is not well known and is not well used among the stakeholders.

The standards exist to assist the relevant bodies / agencies / private organisations in the provision of clean, hygienic, safe, accessible and convenient-to-use public toilet facilities.

It include the design and the planning for all types of public toilets, and comprise statutory requirements, location, number, type and quality of each toilet unit. It also clearly states the construction requirements for the toilets for person with disabilities.

Everyone has the right to clean, comfortable and safe toilets. To build toilets that everyone can use, including the elderly and disabled, toilets that are easy to maintain.

The effecive implementation of the Malaysian standards will be the solution to ensure clean toilets.