LOO (Let's Observe Ourselves) Awards 2024 Ceremony - Mr Baey Yam Keng

Speech by Mr Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment, at the LOO (Let's Observe Ourselves) Awards 2024 Ceremony on 19 November 2024

Mr Ho Chee Kit, President of Restroom Association of Singapore (RAS),

Mr Andrew Khng, Chairman of Public Hygiene Council (PHC),

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1 Congratulations to the Restroom Association of Singapore (RAS) for their 25th anniversary. I am pleased to join you today for the 16th edition of the Let’s Observe Ourselves (LOO) Awards, a flagship event of the RAS.

2 Today, we also commemorate World Toilet Day, an official United Nations international observance day held on the 19 November every year since 2013. This special day is set aside to raise awareness of the sanitation challenges faced by billions of people worldwide and encourage global action to address them. In Singapore, while we are blessed to have a well-developed, modern sanitation system, World Toilet Day serves as a reminder that we should not take proper sanitation for granted.

3 The LOO Awards is well-aligned with World Toilet Day, as it recognises the commitment of organisations across the public, private and people sectors, to having and maintaining clean restrooms in our society.

Becoming Future Ready Together

4 The theme for this year’s LOO Awards, “Becoming Future-Ready Together” encompasses two important ideas – innovation and collaboration.

5 First, innovation enabled by technology. Technological advancements, such as the ability for users to provide real-time feedback, are driving new standards of toilet cleanliness. Premises owners and operators are increasingly integrating smart solutions into their restrooms, making these spaces not only well-maintained but also intelligent enough to self-regulate and improve based on customer feedback. For example, some restrooms feature AI and analytics to detect wet floors which could pose hazards to users. A range of sensors have also come onto the market, allowing restroom managers to monitor air quality, ammonia levels, bin fill levels, and usage patterns.

6 However, technology on its own, is merely an enabler. The drive to elevating restroom standards remains a collaborative effort, where all sectors of society come together as partners in this collective endeavour. This is very much aligned to the Year of Public Hygiene in 2024 where we have renewed our focus on the importance of collective responsibility from both government and the community in maintaining a clean, safe and liveable shared environment for everyone.

Government’s efforts

7 In line with the Year of Public Hygiene, I am pleased to give an update on the multi-disciplinary Public Toilets Taskforce (PTTF), which I co-chair with Mr Andrew Khng, and comprising members from various stakeholders, including Mr Ho Chee Kit of RAS. The PTTF has been working diligently to come up with recommendations to improve the cleanliness of public toilets, especially at coffeeshops and hawker centres. I would like to thank RAS and all other members for their support on this workstream and for contributing to potential solutions. Indeed, one of the areas the Taskforce is looking into is in how we can leverage technology to improve the productivity of cleaners. The Taskforce will share its recommendations in the coming months.

8 To rally the community’s support, I will be launching the "Cleaner Public Toilets" campaign, co-organised by the National Environment Agency and the Public Hygiene Council. With strong support from RAS, Singapore Food Agency, and the Singapore Kindness Movement, the campaign will be launched at Senja Hawker Centre in two days’ time. This annual national campaign promotes the responsible use of public toilets and places a strong emphasis on every individual’s responsibility to uphold high standards of public toilet cleanliness and hygiene. I seek the support of everyone here, as fellow believers in cleaner public toilets, to help spread and publicise these messages to your network of friends, family, and colleagues!

Organisations Doing Their Part

9 While the government can set regulations and introduce guidelines for restroom hygiene standards, organisations must help to ensure their toilets adhere to these standards. I am heartened that the recipients of the ‘Organisation’ LOO Award have not only met these standards, but they have also gone above and beyond. Organisations like Marina Bay Sands and Sentosa Development Corporation are repeat winners, demonstrating their strong commitment to restroom excellence. Others like the Housing & Development Board, SMRT Corporation, JTC Corporation and SBS Transit have embraced innovative solutions and implemented technology like people count sensors, ammonia sensor feedback systems, and hyper filter hand dryers that are energy-saving and anti-bacterial. These organisations have set outstanding examples, and I hope they will inspire others to follow suit.

Schools Nurturing the Younger Generation

10 Schools have taken on the equally important role in grooming our next generation of socially responsible restroom users. RAS is actively working with educational institutions through targeted programmes such as the Sustaining Toilets As Restrooms (STAR) programme, which teaches students the value of hygiene and ownership of shared spaces. These initiatives foster a culture of care, responsibility, and respect for public restrooms, as we encourage our students to adopt better restroom etiquette and share these good practices with their families and communities.

11 Students have also been an inspiring force. Young minds from Singapore Management University and Eunioa Junior College have initiated projects aimed at raising awareness of the importance of clean restrooms. Through these projects, students are not just learning but are also contributing meaningfully to the hygiene landscape, proving that age is no barrier to making a difference.

The Happy Toilet Programme

12 I commend RAS for its Happy Toilet Programme, which has been one of the most successful initiatives in uplifting restroom standards across Singapore. With its comprehensive approach of mystery audits, cleaner training, and active user feedback, this programme has raised the bar for cleanliness and maintenance. Restrooms certified under the Happy Toilet Programme have set a new standard for hygiene and user experience. Stakeholders ranging from the malls, MRT stations to other community spaces have embraced the programme, recognising that cleaner restrooms are not just a necessity, but a hallmark of quality service and care for our community.

Recognising Our Heroes

13 I also want to recognise the unsung heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes—our restroom attendants. Your dedication keeps our public toilets clean and hygienic, and today, we honour your contributions.

14 Restroom attendants, your role is indispensable. I wish to assure you that you are not alone. The drive to elevate restroom standards is a collaborative effort, where different sectors of society come together as partners in this journey. The 71 winners of the LOO awards are testament to the determination and commitment from many stakeholders to uphold excellent restroom standards. Congratulations to all the deserving award recipients for your outstanding contributions. Could we please have a special round of applause for our toilet champions of Singapore!

15 I will now say a few words in Mandarin.

16 各位嘉宾、清洁工友们，早上好！今天我们集聚一堂，是为了感谢在公共厕所清洁方面辛勤付出的清洁工友们。

17 公共厕所是大家每天都会用到的，保持这些地方的干净整洁，对我们来说非常重要。我们的清洁工友们每天默默工作，为大家提供一个清洁、舒适的环境。但我们也知道，要保持公共厕所的卫生，不能只单靠清洁工友的努力。使用公共厕所的朋友，我们也应该献出一份力，例如：用后冲水，随手把垃圾丢进垃圾桶，确保厕所整洁。

18 如果我们每个人都能尽到自己该尽的本分，就能一起打造一个更干净、卫生的公共环境，让所有人都能安心的使用。让我们给辛苦的清洁工友们一个热烈的掌声，同时也提醒自己，共同努力，让清洁的公共厕所成为新加坡的骄傲！谢谢大家 ！

Conclusion

19 Let me conclude. Public toilet cleanliness is our collective responsibility. All of us, operators, the authorities, the community, and individuals, have a role to play in keeping our public toilets clean. As we look ahead to 2025, I would like to call upon everyone to stay committed to fostering a gracious and responsible restroom culture. Together, let’s make 2025 a year when public hygiene reaches new heights, ensuring that cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable restrooms are the standard across Singapore.

20 Thank you.