KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 —  The Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) allocated RM154 million to local authorities (PBT) nationwide from 2023 to 2025 for the maintenance, repair and upgrading of public toilet facilities.

Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said the allocation had enabled 1,529 public toilets under the supervision of local authorities nationwide to be upgraded so far.

He said KPKT would continue these efforts by allocating a special RM30 million annually from 2026 to 2030, bringing the total allocation to RM150 million for the repair and upgrading of public toilets managed by local authorities over the next five years.

Meanwhile, Nga said cooperation between KPKT and the Education Ministry had also resulted in 11,835 school toilets nationwide being upgraded, which he described as the largest achievement of its kind in history.

He said providing public toilets that were clean, attractive and fragrant (BMW) was important to improving the people’s quality of life and reflecting the country’s level of civilisation and image, particularly as Malaysia sought to attract more foreign tourists.

“Public toilets are essentially the calling card at the forefront of a country’s image,” he said when delivering his speech at the Malaysia Best Toilet Awards 2026 (TOTYA’26), organised by KPKT, here tonight.

Also present were Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Marhamah Rosli.

Nga said Malaysia was expected to receive 47 million foreign tourists this year, making the provision of clean and comfortable public toilet facilities an important aspect of supporting the country’s tourism sector.

He said awareness of the importance of public toilet cleanliness had also shown positive growth, with participation in TOTYA’26 increasing to 849 entries this year from 345 in its inaugural year, representing an increase of more than 200 per cent.

Now in its fourth edition, TOTYA’26 features eight categories: schools, places of worship, shopping centres, petrol stations, hotels, restaurants, local authorities, and toilets at rest and recreation (R&R) areas.

Among the winners of TOTYA’26 were Masjid Nurussalam in Gerik, Perak, in the places of worship category; Shah Alam City Council, for the public toilet at Tasik Barat, Section 14, Shah Alam, in the local authorities category; Iconic Marjorie Penang, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Bayan Lepas, in the hotel category; and Mamakim Wellness Kitchen Sdn Bhd in Desa Sri Hartamas, in the restaurant category.

Other winners were Sekolah Kebangsaan Tok Randok in Ajil, Hulu Terengganu, in the school category; Petronas Presint 18 in Putrajaya, in the petrol station category; Sunway Square Mall in Subang, in the shopping centre category; and the southbound Seremban Rest and Recreation (R&R) area along the North-South Expressway, operated by PLUS Malaysia Berhad, in the R&R category.

The winner in each category received RM20,000 in cash, a trophy and a certificate of recognition.

In addition, Nga said KPKT would introduce a new category at next year’s TOTYA for the Best Toilet at institutions of higher learning, universities and colleges, to encourage more educational institutions to prioritise toilet cleanliness and maintenance. — Bernama