CJMY
Cawan Mu F&B Sdn Bhd restaurant’s public restroom, nominated by the Ipoh City Council, has been named the prestigious winner of the Toilet of the Year 2023 Award.
In a bid to elevate the standards of public restrooms across the nation, the awards ceremony, officiated by Minister of Local Government Development (KPKT) Nga Kor Ming, took place last night.
The event was graced by Ipoh Mayor Dato’ Rumaizi bin Baharin@Md Daud and MBI Director of Health Raman a/l Maran.
Transforming public perception
The Toilet of the Year 2023 Awards, conceived by Nga, making its inaugural appearance, focuses on enhancing Malaysia’s image, especially among foreign tourists, by ensuring public restrooms adhere to a clean, charming, and fragrant (BMW).
Nga expressed the importance of this endeavour, aiming to transform public perception regarding the cleanliness and comfort of public toilets, raising them from less than satisfactory to the BMW standard.
During the awards’ inauguration, he emphasised the role of the Toilet of The Year Award in encouraging greater efforts, particularly from the private sector, to maintain BMW-standard public restrooms.
In a press conference, Nga highlighted the growing global market for toilet equipment, worth RM80 billion and expected to expand by 7.6 percent annually. He envisions not only achieving world-class public toilets but also boosting the toilet equipment industry, similar to well-known brands in Korea and Japan.
To motivate participation in the 2024 edition, the awards will expand to seven categories from the current five, with the cash prize doubling to RM20,000. This year, there were 345 entries, including hotels, shopping centres, highway concessions (Rest and Service Areas), petrol stations, and restaurants.
Independent judges from the Malaysian Quality Restroom Association and representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture the Visit Malaysia Year in 2025 selected the winner with KPKT solely serving as the organizer and not involved in the selection process.
Deserving winners of Toilet of the Year Awards
The deserving winners of this year’s Toilet of the Year Awards in various categories include The George Group Penang (hotel category), Toppen Shopping Mall Johor Bahru (shopping centre), Elmina Arah Selatan (Rest and Service Area), Petron Senai Johor (petrol station), and Cawan Mu Ipoh Perak (restaurant).
Cawan Mu F & B Sdn. Bhd. restaurant, the recipient of the top honour, received RM10,000, a certificate, and a plaque for its exemplary restroom facilities. Meanwhile, Café Wonderland Restaurant was acknowledged as a finalist, earning a certificate and plaque in the Toilet of the Year 2023 Award.
Nga’s vision is not only to raise the standard of public restrooms but also to drive the development of the toilet equipment industry. With the increasing trend of global urbanization and the growing importance of toilet hygiene, smart toilets and innovative toilet equipment are gaining popularity.
Nga expressed optimism that this initiative would foster improvements in public restroom standards, promoting Malaysia’s image and attracting more foreign tourists. He anticipates that this annual award will serve as an ongoing catalyst for the enhancement of public restroom facilities across the country, ultimately contributing to Malaysia’s goals for the Visit Malaysia Year in 2025.
The Toilet of the Year 2023 signifies Malaysia’s pursuit of cleanliness, charm, and fragrance in public facilities. With plans to expand and increase cash prizes in 2024, the initiative is expected to draw more participants from various sectors.
As Malaysia looks ahead to the Visit Malaysia Year in 2025, the Toilet of the Year Award is a promising step towards enhancing the country’s image, especially among international tourists, and propelling the toilet equipment industry towards growth and innovation.
