New islandwide campaign taps malls, exhibits and youth to refresh hygiene habits.
A new Keep Singapore Clean 2026 campaign is harnessing shopping malls, public education and community initiatives to reinforce everyday cleanliness and personal responsibility across the island.
Mall Campaign Launches Keep Singapore Clean 2026
From April 19, a 30-second video reminding shoppers to bin takeaway cups and dispose of food packaging is being screened across 16 CapitaLand malls, marking the start of the Keep Singapore Clean 2026 campaign. The clip, which will run until December, targets shoppers, tenants and the wider community, encouraging simple cleaner habits during mall visits. The initiative is part of a one-year agreement between the Public Hygiene Council (PHC) and CapitaLand Investment (CLI), signed on April 19 at Geneo in Singapore Science Park. CLI group chief strategy officer and chief executive officer for commercial management Ervin Yeo said malls that host thousands daily have a key role in shaping positive social norms and behaviors.
Roving Exhibition Traces 15 Years Of Public Hygiene Effort
To deepen public understanding, a roving exhibition with interactive stations is tracing PHC’s 15-year history. Debuting at Geneo, it will move to Sengkang Grand Mall from June 1 to 7, Tampines Mall from June 8 to 14, and Lot One Shoppers’ Mall in Choa Chu Kang from June 15 to 21. PHC executive director Associate Professor Christina Liew said malls are a crucial touchpoint to reach large segments of the population and to show “how much effort was put into bringing Singapore to where it is today, and how much more we need to do.” On SG Clean Day on June 28, an upbeat jingle urging shoppers to keep toilets clean will also be broadcast simultaneously over public address systems in all 16 CapitaLand malls, including Bedok Mall, Bugis Junction and Westgate in Jurong East.
Cleanliness Champions Relay Mobilises Schools And Companies
To mark its 15th anniversary, PHC launched the Cleanliness Champions Relay, a month-long initiative involving 20 partners such as schools and companies that take turns as symbolic baton holders across 15 locations. Each group organises clean-up activities in areas including Kent Ridge Park, Newton, Chua Chu Kang, Sengkang, West Coast Park and East Coast Park. The first leg took place at Kent Ridge Park on April 19. By rotating activities across neighborhoods and involving diverse organisations, the relay is designed to make cleanliness a shared responsibility rather than a task left only to cleaners and government agencies.
Survey Shows Progress, But Toilets And Food Areas Still Lag
A March survey of 411 Singapore residents by PHC found that 74 per cent of respondents aged 30 and above believe public spaces are cleaner today than 15 years ago. Many credited the Government (37 per cent) and cleaners (39 per cent), yet more than 99 per cent agreed that sustained cleanliness depends on collective effort, including individual responsibility. Respondents pointed to ongoing concerns such as dirty public toilets (69.8 per cent), improperly discarded food and drink packaging (58.9 per cent), and dirty tables at foodcourts, hawker centres and coffee shops (44 per cent). These findings underline the need to change daily habits, especially around shared eating spaces and restroom use.
Leadership Messages And School Habits Shape Future Norms
Speaking at the campaign launch to about 200 guests at Geneo, Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said Singapore’s reputation as one of the world’s cleanest cities is the result of deliberate, long-term efforts led by founding leaders such as Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He stressed that cleanliness reflects “the kind of people and society we are and the aspirations we hold for the future,” highlighting personal responsibility and stewardship of shared spaces. Schools are reinforcing these norms early: Gongshang Primary School, which joined a PHC initiative in 2025, introduced a daily one-minute clean-up at the end of lessons where pupils tidy their own spaces. Principal Stella Kwan said the habit has extended beyond classrooms, with pupils now picking up litter they see on the floor, a behavior she hopes they will carry into the wider community.
The Keep Singapore Clean 2026 campaign shows how media, malls, schools and community partners can work together to maintain Singapore’s reputation for order and hygiene while updating habits for a new generation. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, these efforts highlight how cleanliness standards influence quality of life, tourism appeal and investor confidence across the region, offering a model of shared responsibility that can be adapted in busy urban centers throughout South-east Asia.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , The Star (2026)
Keywords: Keep Singapore Clean 2026, Public Hygiene Council, CapitaLand Investment, SG Clean Day, Cleanliness Champions Relay, Public Toilets
