Civil servants apply for WFH during Asean Summit

KUALA LUMPUR: Several ministries, departments and government agencies have started receiving work from home (WFH) applications from civil servants in view of the Asean Summit at the end of this month.

Public Service Department (PSD) director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz did not reveal the number of applications but noted that some had already been approved.

“What’s important is that civil servants must submit their applications to their respective heads of department (HODs), who must then verify whether the road closures will actually affect the officers’ commute, as we do not want anyone taking advantage of this flexibility.

“HODs must ensure the officers are genuinely impacted and assign key performance indicators (KPIs) during the WFH period to ensure the tasks are completed without disrupting operations,” he told reporters after attending an event at the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) headquarters here yesterday, as reported by Bernama.

On May 7, the Public Service Department said in a statement that civil servants likely to be affected by traffic congestion during the Asean Summit are advised to apply ahead for WFH arrangements.

The department said that in line with the government’s commitment to enhance the well-being of the people and ensuring the continuity of public services, the WFH policy would continue to be implemented flexibly, subject to existing regulations.

Wan Ahmad Dahlan said the government is still in the research phase regarding flexible working arrangements for civil servants to promote better work-life balance.

He said a study is being conducted by PSD to support those who genuinely require the option to work from home.

“Flexible working is already widely practised in developed countries, but there is still some hesitation among employers here. This initiative aims to assist those who truly need to work outside the office.

“For instance, pregnant women whose tasks can be done from home.

“What’s most important is that HODs adopt a mindset of trust towards their officers.

“When implementing such a policy, KPIs must clearly be defined. Perhaps three days working from home and two days in the office — that is the kind of flexibility we are looking at,” he said.

On another matter, Wan Ahmad Dahlan said the post of Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency director-general is expected to be filled soon, as the candidate selection process is now in the final stage.

He said that as with appointments to several other senior positions, the selection process involves multiple screening levels before an official announcement is made.

The position has been vacant since Feb 9 following the retirement of Datuk Seri Hazani Ghazali.