If only New York City could view this problem with the same sense of "urgency" that Malaysia does. In New York, you never "go" in style!

Gaseous G, New York, NY

Perhaps these are standards to which we shoud aspire to here in the UK...

Douglas, London,

I am in favour of clean public toilets and restrooms but have to say that the "transition" the article mentions is not one of progress. The western style of toilet was only invented in the 1800s and reflected the stayed, colonial ideals of the Victorian age. Squatting is the natural and healthy way to go. Colon and bowel cancer rates are much higher in western countries that use ununatural modern toilets compared to rates in developing and squatting countries.

Samuel Waumsley, Cape Town, South Africa

In my experience Malaysian toilets are better than British ones.
To see somewhere where public toilets are pleasant, try Singapore. It is probably rivalry with the city state which has caused this initiative.

Mike Evans, Midsomer Norton, England

Portugal amazes me in its v. poor toilet facilities. There is rarely a toilet seat (women must often squat directly on the porcelain) Water to wash hands, if available, is mainly cold, & there is seldom anything for wiping hands. I always bring my own toilet paper, both for use in the toilet & for wiping hands. The best place to go to the toilet is, needless to say, MacDonalds!

Helen Angus, Toronto, Canada

If the UK government attempted what the Malaysian government is doing, it would be criticised for being a nanny state. However, Malaysia has created huge improvements through social pressure, as has been achieved by the Swiss, Dutch and Singaporians. If only we could do the same in Britain to eradicate the embarrassing amount of road side litter in recent years. However, the Malaysians need to put equal social pressure on their government contractors who have caused dreadful deforestation in the name of progress, resulting in flooding, loss of top soil, landslides, silted rivers, drought, smog and and significant weather changes.

Will Sellar, Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK

The Indians and chinese can also learn from the Malaysians, I think.Any public toilet in India is unbearable, of course these are apart from the building walls and compound walls that function as public urinals

Gabe, Dublin, Ireland

Yes, excellent idea, Malaysia. I wish all governments were as practiallly minded. An average tourist travelling with children - or older people - is always thinking 'and where is the loo?' and carries a bag of tissues and hand sanitizers. And that's just in Britain. Looking at the unbearably mucky hands of most of the children, and guessing that the adults aren't much better, then what the world needs now is sanitary lavatories - either design, put pictures up on the wall - good wash basins children can reach and operate, effective soap, and a way to dry hands without re-circulating the remaining germs. I'm fed up with all the tummy troubles and colds we are all passing endlessly round. And if the wash room designers of the world are reading, for goodness sake put the hand dryers lower down on the wall so that the water doesn't run down to the elbows. Does gravity work different in your universe? Or are all electricians seven foot tall?

D Samuel, Cambridge, England

Take a look inside some British pub, train and airport loos and I think you would be in for some nasty surprises. I certainly have! The rest of Europe's far from perfect, but everywhere it is the USERS that are at fault. Men who are unable to aim properly, women who 'dribble', and both sexes who would appear incapable of directing excrement where it should go - down the hole - and who would rather pebbledash the sides of the pan or (through some incredible gymnastic feat) smear their motions on the seat itself. Perhaps a global campaign along the lines of 'please leave the loo as you would wish to find it' is needed? But then, how do these folk treat the smallest room in their own homes . . . ?

MIKE BENT, OVIEDO, SPAIN

Excellent idea, Malaysia! We have similar problems in Africa (incl footprints on toilet seats!) - but I recall when a visit to the toilet in Paris in the early 60's was also a traumatic experience!!
Mind you, a visit to the public conveniences in Britain in the 50's was equally traumatic to a young American girl!! Having to put a penny in the slot to be allowed in, and funny crackly paper...

Trudy Stevenson MP, Harare, Zimbabwe

Excellent idea, Malaysia! We have similar problems in Africa (incl footprints on toilet seats!) - but I recall when a visit to the toilet in Paris in the early 60's was also a traumatic experience!!
Mind you, a visit to the public conveniences in Britain in the 50's was equally traumatic to a young American girl!! Having to put a penny in the slot to be allowed in, and funny crackly paper...

Trudy Stevenson MP, Harare, Zimbabwe

It would be nice if a similar campaign existed in the UK - look at stores, airports and all sorts of places that have those "these toilets are inspected every hour" type notices - and it's obvious that they haven't been properly cleaned for weeks!

Charles Grainger, Birmingham, UK

Excellent idea, Malaysia! We have similar problems in Africa (incl footprints on the toilet seats!) - but I remember when a visit to the toilet in paris in the early 60's was equally traumatic.
Mind you, a visit to the public convenience in Britain in the 50's was also traumatic to a young American girl - having to put a penny in the slot to be allowed in, funny crinkly paper...

Trudy Stevenson MP, Harare, Zimbabwe

It is so simple.
I always use the squat type when in Malaysia

As for the beaches, I have not seen an immaculate Malaysian beach for 30years, not since plastic replaced natural fibres and the land along the beaches is similarly littered. Malaysia is a wealthy country which has a poor to noexistant rubbish collection system. Sad but true and as current as a couple of months ago.

The hundreds of miles of east coast beaches are littered with plastic and the turds of humans for whom the beach is the preferred place for a morning crap.

Also along this coast the turtles hardly come now. When they did they were treated poorly, torches in their eyes, people riding on their backs and their eggs taken to the local markets.

The parks and mountains are littered too. Mount Ophir / Gunong Ledang in Johor is a real mess, litter everywhere and rats in the camping spots. The rules on bringing back what you take in are only obeyed by foreign visitors. I was impressed by a party of Singapore college kids with huge black bags of rubbish which they had collected. Let the Malaysians emulate them

Malaysia has enormous potential and friendly people but needs to pull its socks up.

peter, Singapore / malaysia,