Cuepacs welcomes pilot programme for flexible working hours

NST

27/3/2019

KUALA LUMPUR: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) welcomes the government’s move to introduce a pilot programme for flexible working hours for the civil service, called the Waktu Bekerja Flexi (WBF), beginning March.

Cuepacs president Datuk Azih Muda said this was a good move as it would allow workers to set their working hours accordingly.

“We have always believed that the civil servants should be given the flexibility of setting their working hours, as long as they fulfil their full nine hours at work.

“With the new system, the workers do not have to worry about being punished for coming late to work due to traffic congestion or faulty elevators or lack of parking or any other reasons,” Azih told the NST.

Azih said that this was an improvement to the previous system, where those who came in late would get their punch cards stamped in the red.

“For example, if previously their working hours are from 7:30am to 4:30pm and they come in at 7:35am, their cards would be marked red for coming late and they will be punished.

He said under the initiative, latecomers would be required to fulfil their hours accordingly as the focus was on honouring responsibility and not punishing.

Azih said the concept of flexible working hours was not new in Malaysia and it was previously known as Waktu Bekerja Berperingkat (WBB).

“Malaysia has had a flexible working time for civil servants since 2007 called the WBB. But it wasn’t as popular with the civil servants with only six percent applying for it.

A possible reason for this was the traditional mindset of the supervisors, he said.

“This pilot programme would allow us to gauge its practicality. We will see areas that need improvement so that it will not be abused,” he said.

Azih said flexible working hours had already been practiced in other countries around the world and it was the way forward for the civil service.

“It is hoped that the pilot programme is a success so that it can be implemented in other the states,” he said.

The Public Service Department (PSD) via a circular published on its Facebook page said the pilot programme would only involved those working for federal government agencies in selected states.

Under the pilot programme, civil servants will be allowed to clock in between 7.30am and 8.30am, and clock out between 4.30pm and 5.30pm, as long as they commit to the nine working hours.

It is currently available to civil servants in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Perlis, Perak, Selangor, Sabah and Sarawak.