Lake Toba Toilets Want To Be Cleaned In Switzerland, Luhut: It Doesn't Matter Anyone

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Photo: Instagram @ luhut, pandjaitan)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan spoke about a Swiss company, Mister Loo, which reportedly plans to build public toilets or WC in the tourist area of Lake Toba, North Sumatra. He said the project was open to any party, including foreigners.

"Actually, there are several (domestic companies). we are ok with whatever choose. I made Mister Loo one of our choices to invite him, will he be the final one? Yes, we don't know. Yesterday my friend said 'can we not go in, bro. "I said just go in, no problem", said Luhut Pandjaitan at the CNBC Outlook 2021 program, Thursday, February 25.

Luhut emphasized that his party opens doors for any business actor who can build projects in the country. However, of course, the results of project development must have standards by government targets.

"The problem is maybe sometimes people feel that because their rank is high they don't want to take care of toilets anymore. In fact, if there is no toilet we come there", he said.

According to Luhut, public toilets are very important to support tourism. Because, if this facility is not made comfortable, it will make tourists give up on coming back to these tourist destinations.

Furthermore, he said, until now the CSR program for the construction and maintenance of sanitation facilities in Lake Toba continues. One of them is by involving Pertamina to build 25 toilets there.

According to Luhut, not only Lake Toba will build good public toilet facilities, but also other destinations such as Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), and Borobudur in Central Java.

"Later in Borobudur, wherever the tourist attractions must have toilets. We want to have a contract with anyone, if there is an Indonesian company, we can do it. We welcome. If there is a subsidiary company of Indonesia we are happier", he said.

Luhut also admitted that he was surprised that a Swiss toilet provider was interested in investing in Lake Toba. He said this project was not final and still open to domestic companies.

"I was also surprised to ask Odo of my deputy staff: Do this really (Mister Loo wants to invest), then the indigenous ones? Yes, sir, there is no sir. Yes, invite them again", he said.

Previously, the quality of public toilets or toilets in Indonesia was rated low in the Travel and Tourism Competitive Index. Even lower than neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Therefore, the government is partnering with toilet providers from Switzerland to improve quality.

Deputy for Tourism and Creative Economy Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves) Odo RM Manuhutu said that the government is open to encouraging improvements to public toilet facilities and infrastructure from any party, including foreigners.

"One of the lowest ones that Indonesia gets is the quality of its public toilets. The value is below 4. Why Mister Loo? All of our companies are open. Incidentally, there is Mister Loo who has certain standards, so let's use the best standard", he said in the virtual press conference, Friday, February 19.

According to Odo, it is the same as when visiting a mall where there are certain standards, the government wants this to also happen when tourists visit destinations in Indonesia.

"So it looks more like our efforts to increase our index competitiveness", he said.

Furthermore, Odo said the government's efforts to improve the quality of public toilets were also carried out to provide the best service for both domestic and international tourists.

"So that domestic or international tourists can at least get excellent service when visiting the spots", he said.