Anita Rachman

A Garuda airliner waits at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta Airport. (JG Photo)

Clean Up Dirty Toilets, Says Indonesia's Transport Minister

Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi said on Tuesday that pushing for clean toilets at transportation hubs across the country would be among his top priorities in the first 100 days of his administration.

He said that he has been conducting inspections at seaports, airports and railway stations and found that people are still dumping trash irresponsibly and that the toilets aren’t being kept clean.

Freddy said that while some people might dismiss this as a trivial issue, his office took it seriously because it was an indicator of the country’s attitudes.

“We should change our culture,” Freddy said, after checking up on hajj departures from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

“This program [of keeping toilets at transportation hubs clean] is not only for the first 100 days of my administration, but forever,” he added.

Freddy said that he inspected Terminal 1 at the airport and found the toilets neither clean nor comfortable. He added that the proper disposal of cigarette butts remained a problem.

He said Indonesians needed to be aware that cleanliness was important, particularly if the country hoped to attract more tourists.

“I went to Ambon port and it was filled with trash,” he said. “When people with money come to Indonesia and see that its toilets are very dirty, why should they stay? They have money, they can choose [to visit] somewhere else with cleaner toilets.”

Freddy said people should be more disciplined, and that Indonesia should hold itself to a higher standard of hygiene. “This is not a poor country,” he said.

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