I was having a debate with an advocate of the services industry as the future of Malaysia's economy on a private WhatsApp group comprised mostly of heads of member companies of the ICT Industry Association of Malaysia (PIKOM).
He cited Sweden as an example of an affluent, advanced economy in which over 60% of its GDP was contributed by its services industry and yes that's true.
Services contributed 65.18% of Sweden's GDP in 2017, whilst Sweden's industrial sector contributed 22.14%.
These service industries which could be contributing significantly to Sweden's GDP likely include airlines, shipping, postal and courier services, hospitality services, computer programming and consultancy services, accounting, management and consultancy services, professional scientific and technical services, travel and so forth which can earn foreign exchange for Sweden.
However, Greece, the so-called "poor man of Europe", beat Sweden, with its services sector contributing 68.88% of its GDP, though Greece's industry sector contributed 14.79%.
(Apologies to any Greeks reading this, you can blame Syriza for selling you out to the EU and to the big finance capitalists.)
(Apologies to any Greeks reading this, you can blame Syriza for selling you out to the EU and to the big finance capitalists.)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/276399/distribution-of-gross-domestic-product-gdp-across-economic-sectors-in-greece/
He has advocated and still does, that Malaysia's services sector, such as banks, insurance, airlines, consultancy and so forth should strive to be world class and they will then contribute to boosting their contribution to and increase Malaysia's GDP. Fair enough.
He has advocated and still does, that Malaysia's services sector, such as banks, insurance, airlines, consultancy and so forth should strive to be world class and they will then contribute to boosting their contribution to and increase Malaysia's GDP. Fair enough.
Of course, the services industry is as old as man, with prostitution said to be the oldest service industry.
Well, this article in The Malay Mail of 25 January 2019 caught my eye:-
Gold standard: Rantau Abang public toilet named best toilet in Asean
Published on 25 January 2019
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 ― The Rantau Abang public toilet at the Rantau Abang Conservation and Information Centre, has been named among the best toilets in Asean.
The clean and user-friendly toilet, with its attractive landscaping, won the 'Asean Public Toilet Standard 2019-2021' award in conjunction with the Asean Tourism Forum in Ha Long City, Vietnam, last Friday.
It is among four toilets in the country and the only one in the east coast region to meet the criteria set for the award.
The other three toilets are at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Restoran Foh San in Perak, Masjid Cina Melaka and Plaza Merdeka in Sarawak.
Dungun Municipal Council president (MPD) president Lizan Che Mat said winning the award was the biggest achievement for residents and staff of MPD, especially those who worked hard in implementing the various initiatives to maintain the cleanliness of public toilets in the municipality.
"The Rantau Abang public toilet beside the Rantau Abang Conservation and Information Centre definitely is given the most attention by MPD because it is at a tourist destination in the state and a place known for turtle landing.
"The toilet is well-equipped and provides a good rest area because it has bathrooms and place to rest, and has a beautiful landscape," he said when met by Bernama.
According to Lizan, the toilet has been given a five-star rating and won several awards, including in competitions organised by the Housing and Local Government Ministry since 2016.
He said various programmes to further improve the Rantau Abang public toilet, as well as 15 other public toilets in the municipality, including enhancing their cleanliness and lanscape.
"MPD has been approved an allocation of RM30 million by the Housing and Local Government Ministry for 2019- 2021 for landscape development to enhance the well-being and quality of the local residents.
"So, we will utilise part of the allocation to repair public toilets, as well as make them more lively by improving the landscape to give public toilets a new image, not as a dirty place.
"The public toilets may look small, but they can actually give an impact on the tourism sector because from there tourists can evaluate the mentality and attitude of the local people," he added.
Meanwhile, a cleaner at the Rantau Abang public toilet, Faridah Chaiman said she used fragrances made from natural ingredients, such as pandan leaves which absorbs the toilet odour and gives it a nice smell.
Faridah said she has been picking pandan leaves from plants that grow near the toilet since five years ago.
"Everybody likes the smell of pandan leaves, the aroma is sweet. They are some people who requested for some of the pandan leaves when they stopped here to use the toilet," she added. ― Bernama
I'm pleased that Malaysia's has gained international recognition for excellence in public toilets and I'm sure we can offer public toilet consultancy services across ASEAN and worldwide for a premium fee and earn much foreign exchange to be able to pay off our 1MDB debt owed.
However, Malaysia first has to upgrade all public toilets across the country to the standard of the one in Rantau Abang and don't forget to also provide high-speed WiFi access, with a passcode - "Scheiss123".
For instance, we can't have toilets in the condition of the one below which I spotted in a Mamak restaurant in Putrajaya - Malaysia's much touted administrative capital, supposedly an "intelligent city", with a "world class" civil services and a model for the rest of Malaysia to emulate.
Malaysian local authorities must also require privately
owned public establishments such as restaurants, shopping malls, hotels
and so forth to upgrade their toilets to the standard of the one in
Rantau Abang, with heavy penalties for those who fall short of
standards, similar to penalties restaurant operators are liable to if
they allow customers to smoke in their premises.
We also can't have urinals like these below in a fairly new building along Jalan Kemajuan in our fair City of Petaling Jaya, which is said to have the wealthiest local council in Malaysia. (Notice there are no pipes bringing water to flush these urinals).
First world infrastructure, third world mentality. Former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was so right about that.
We also can't have urinals like these below in a fairly new building along Jalan Kemajuan in our fair City of Petaling Jaya, which is said to have the wealthiest local council in Malaysia. (Notice there are no pipes bringing water to flush these urinals).
First world infrastructure, third world mentality. Former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was so right about that.
Malaysia must also license the private sector to install and operate pay public toilets on condition that they comply with all relevant MS, ISO, star ratings and other relevant international public toilet standards - if there are any, that is.
These privately-run public toilets can also earn more my providing premium value-added services, such as hire foreign workers for a pittance to wipe and wash customers' bums after they are done with "doing their business" - a service for which customers are charged a premium.
Malaysia may even be able to develop a toilet tourism industry, where people from neighbouring countries take a budget flight to Malaysia just to use the high-standard toilet and then fly back home.
Tour companies can organise special toilet tours which take tourists to visit high standard public toilets and experience using them at each stop.
Yours trully
IT.Scheiss
P.S.
My Thai childhood friend, Ms K wrote in an e-mail from Bangkok in response to my post:-
"Agreed wholeheartedly. According to my Malaysian friends who have visited me, toilets in Malaysian shopping centres need a lot of improvement in sanitary practices. Toilets in shopping centres and rest stops here in Thailand are very clean and user friendly, as they compete with each other to entice customers to their businesses via toilets"
My Thai childhood friend, Ms K wrote in an e-mail from Bangkok in response to my post:-
"Agreed wholeheartedly. According to my Malaysian friends who have visited me, toilets in Malaysian shopping centres need a lot of improvement in sanitary practices. Toilets in shopping centres and rest stops here in Thailand are very clean and user friendly, as they compete with each other to entice customers to their businesses via toilets"
