SIBU HERITAGE CENTER'S PUBLIC TOILETS.

Sibu Heritage Center (former Majlis Perbandaran Sibu or Sibu Municipal Council Building)  is a two floored circular building and recently, was renovated and housed a Museum on the 1st floor, shopping spaces plus a food Court on the Ground Floor. This building was renovated & managed by a private company on the turnkey project. This building design or whatever  was awarded by PAM  (Architect Board of Malaysia ) for its unique design last year. The design of its public Toilets is very eye soothing and very nice but, but now, it really sad to see that the toilets are poorly maintained. The faults, can be said to be the Maintenance personnels' and the users end. let's have a look at these Toilets.

1. Photo : Entrance to the Toilets (Female, OKU and Male)

2. Photo: nicely crafted  Stainless Steel  Toilet Sign (OKU)

3. Photo: Handicap (OKU) Toilet.

4. Photo:  The door to the toilet's Cubicle is the  blurred sand blasted glass panel.

 5. Photo : Wash hand basins at both Male & female Toilets.

6. Photo: Glazed Urinals

6. Photo: Look at the missing toilet seat cover, the use rubber hose for the washing.
               yellowish stains.

7. Photo:  Ventilation.

The mentalities of the users as well as the maintenance personnel have to change or else the high standard of Cleanliness can't be achieved.

QRAM 6th Annual General Meeting 2012

The meeting was held at the Royal Selangor Club, Kuala Lumpur on 16th June 2012(Saturday) at about 10.00 am. and the meeting was presided by our National Deputy President, Ir. Fong as our National President , YB Dato James Dawos Mamit was on official duty back in Sarawak

Photo: Meeting  in Session

Photo: Meeting in this Room (The President's Room)

In this Royal Selangor Club, the Toilets facilities look antique but it's quite clean and can't miss the chance to take a peek in pixs to share with you.

Photo: Small area for waiting right at the entrance to the Toilets.

Photo : Line of Urinals in the Toilet. Nicely color "brown" in line the Building of Royal Selangor Club.



Photo: Another View of the Urinals. Adorned with art pieces on the walls.

Photo: Brown colored Toilets' bowl with bidet in the Toilet cubicle. Wooden Toilet Seat.

Yes, any information concerning Quality Restroom Association Malaysia (QRAM) can be obtained from its website at  http://www.qram.org.my/ or can also be found at its Facebook- QRAM.

Clean Toilet Management Course--- "Kurus Pengauditan dan Penarafan Bintang Tandas Awam Peringkat Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (Zon Sarawak)"

The Local Authorities or " Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan" in state of Sarawak were invited to attend a Toilet Cleaning Course from 20th to 23rd September 2011 at the Grand Martguerita Hotel (Former Holiday Inn Kuching) in the State Capital of Kuching. This Course was organised by the Health Division of the Feudal Ministry of Housing & Local Government (KPKT) , Kuala Lumpur and understand that it's a series of similar toilet Courses organised in various places in the country. This Course was for the local authorities in Sarawak or "Zon Sarawak".

Well, according to the organizer that the main objectives is to provide training to the groups that involved in the auditing and evaluation of the cleanliness of the Toilet and pro & cons as well as the challenges in keeping the cleanliness of Toilets in their respective areas or local Authorities.

This course was officiated by our State Permanent Secretary to "KASKA" ( State Ministry of Environment & Public Health, Kuching) Honorable  Dr. Penguang Manggil and most of local Councils in Sarawak is under this State Ministry or  "KASKA".

The course covered a wide topic of Toilet Management which included the Cleaning, Auditing, Estimating of Toilet Tenders , sharing of Toilets management of City Hall of Kuching North and Field visit to Public toilets in Kuching.

One of the Speakers is Mr. Nordin Hj. Miswan of  DENAI BIRU (Centre for Advanced Professional Development) and if not wrong, the Company had a lot of cleaning projects in the Klang Valley and throughout the Peninsular Malaysia. He quite a dynamic speaker. Glad and very happy to pick up a few pointers of  Cleaning toilet from En. Nordin. It's a saying..... " Cleaning is the combination of Art & Science." and also the Secrets of Cleaning ...is "Dry". Sharing of the experience of practical & effective cleaning of Toilets with En. Nordin.

Field visits to Public Toilets in Kuching was quite an experience especially with En. Nordin around giving us his expertise in his assessment of a "starred"Toilet. I do really, really picked up some pointers of a starred Toilet. It really worth staying until late night during this course or Seminar.

The Course was officially closed on the third day (23.9.2011) by Dr.Hasnah binti Bibon (Director of Health Division, Feudal Ministry of Housing & Local Government, Kuala Lumpur ).

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The registration ladies.

The Assistant Director of KPKT giving the souvenir to the quest of honor, Dr.Penguang Manggil.

One of the Organizer and Speaker of KPKT.

One of the Public Toilet .

Demo by En. Nordin on the cleaning of Urinal.

Another Demo on the Cleaning of S/S Bin.

A giant Ladies Toilet Signage.



Two Smiley ( Grade ) for this Toilet.

Signage of the Park- Friendship Park where the 5 Stars Toilet is Situated.

The Entrance to the "5" Starred Toilet at the Park.

Inside the Foyer of the Starred Toilet. This Toilet consist of a space for Urinals, Cubicles, Handicap or "OKU" toilet , bathroom and sitting areas with long concrete benches. According to En Nordin, it's supposed to be a 5 starred Toilet but unfortunate it need ...a little bit of touching up. Maintaining the standard of cleanliness is quite a difficult job and it also needed the experience to do so. Maybe, the next round of Course could be that of ...."the maintenance of the Standard of the Starred Toilets".  What's about that, KPKT?

Key Focus Activity (KFA) on Public Toilet " To improve the cleanliness of Council's Public Toilets in Sarawak."

A press release by the local press that the Permanent Secretary , Dr. Penguang Manggil,  to the Ministry of Environment & Public Health or KASKA, Sarawak launched the KFA on Public Toilets and he was happy that a few councils and city hall in Sarawak had already embarked the "Green" programme for their toilets. Sibu was mentioned in the list and glad to hear or read it.



"Tandas Mesra" - at "Sekolah Menegah Tung Hua" , Sibu.

Sibu was very fortunate to have leaders who were very concerned with toilet cleanliness and they are the late YB Datuk Robert Lau Hui Chew and his cousin Cr. Robert Lau Hui Yew. The idea of having a proper and open concept school Toilet at SMK Tung Hua was mooted when (I could remember during the end of 2009 or beginning of 2010 when Cr. Robert Lau visited the School ) PTA committee invited him to visit school to see the space for building of the Squash Court. Cr. Robert Lau Hui Yew was also the Chairman of Sibu Squash Association or whatever and he is an avid squash player. The Assistant Principal or PK Mr. Wong brought us around and he also mentioned that most of the school cluster toilets were in a poor state (might be due to age). We were shown to one space (I think it either the bicycle shed or wooden store room next to one block of class room.) and can't remember whether the Space was measured or not but definitely, all of us agreed that the space was big enough to build one row of toilets. The PTA committee agreed that they will chipped in, Cr. Robert Lau Hui Yew arranged for the design,  and the ball started to roll.....the rest is history.

The total cost of the project is RM 250,000.00 (roughly) . How & Where the money came from? The usual channel  to get money or fund raising for School....Joggerthon  collected  RM 57,730.20. Sponsorship or donation from Public RM 42,269.80 (Roughly) and damn lucky for this School (Why?) another RM 150,000.00  from the feudal (must be due to Cr. Robert Lau Hui Yew's help).

The project begins with earth breaking ceremony on 19th July 2010 and days went by....the project was completed on 20th December 2010 (a record time, I presumed) Finally, the Toilet  Opening Ceremony was graced by YB Datuk Dr.James Dawos Mamit, Feudal Assistant Minister of Tourism, Malaysia and he is also the Chairperson of the Quality Restroom Association of Malaysia (QRAM).

These toilets was beautifully constructed and hope that the Student as well as the Teachers do treasure them.

Like the Chinese saying..." hundred words can't compared to a look " and the followings are the latest pictures taken of the Friendly or " Mesra" Toilet :-     

Pix 1. The "Style" of Toilet.

Pix 2. The Main Entrance to the Toilet.

Pix 3. The Signages separate the Genders.

Pix 4. The Long Sink for the hand washing.

Pix 5. Toilet for the handicap (OKU)

Pix 6. Sanitact or Container for the convenience of the Ladies.

Pix 7. The Airy space between the Washing Sink and the Cubicles.

Pix 7. The long, long space or corridor of the Toilets.



Pix. 8 - showing the toilet cubicles.



Pix 9. Another nice angle of the corridor.

Pix 10.  Urinals for the males.

Pix 11. A closer view of the Urinal Trough for the Males (Student)

Well, SMK Tung Hua really fortunate to have a "starred" toilets for its Staff as well as the students and what the School should do now? It's very important that the school should help to change the mindset of the student or perhaps, formed a Club of the "QRAM" (Quality Restroom Association Malaysia). It'll be another first for Sibu School in Sarawak. Whaaaaaat do you think???

Miri's "Green" vs Sibu's "Open" Concept Public Toilet.

Glad that Public Toilets in Sarawak are getting "greener" or "environmental" friendlier. Where? Miri had one, now (at Saberkas Area) and Sibu had  "Open" Concept (at Sibu Gateway) including  a  few Public Toilets  of these nature ..."Green " or "Environmental'" few years back. Whatever, "Green" or "Environmental"  friendly  or "Open" concept Public Toilets, these toilets  use less lighting (during the day), more airy, dry up quickly due to high headroom, vast openings and Glass panel roofing. 

Well, it would be more "Greener" or "Environmental" friendlier if Public Toilets could  be installed with rain water harvesting devices. Sibu had a few schools toilets which had been recently built & installed with these extra facilities (rain harvesting devices plus open concept).

  Photo 1.  Miri' s "Green" Public Toilet (at Saberkas Area)

Photo 2.  Sibu's "Open" Concept  (at Sibu Gateway).

 

Photo 3. Side View - "Open" Concept Public Toilet (at Sibu Gateway, Sibu.)

Certainly really good that the authority or authorities are trying to build toilets or better concept toilets for the public use but really sad to say that mindsets of most users had not been changed...vandalism, improper use of toilets are still rampant. Mind you, public toilets today is not like those of  yesteryear's..badly built and dirty. Today, most of the local authorities are spending thousand of ringgits to build public toilets as well as to upgrade the toilets esp. the public toilets. and as well as providing fund to maintain them. What's do you say?

Pengauditan dan Menarafan Bintang Tahap Kebersihan Tandas Awam Dikawasan Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan di seluruh Malaysia 2011 (Auditing and Star-rating of all the Public Toilets in all the Local Authorities throughout Malaysia 2011.)

All the Local Authorities (Councils) were informed by Feudal Ministry of Local Government, Kuala Lumpur to carry out the auditing and star rated their Public Toilets in their Municipalities or areas for the year 2011. This grading & star rating exercise will run from 23rd May to 23rd June, 2011. In fact, Sibu Municipal Council had been doing the rating of  their Public Toilets every month and the grading report was submitted to the Council Standing Committee Meeting every month.

This Auditing & Star rating from Feudal Ministry of Local Government, Kuala Lumpur will be a special one in addition to the monthly grading.

Sibu Municipal Council was given the following Grading Format to use and was written in Bahasa Malaysia (our national language).

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