By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 3: The federal government’s work-from-home (WFH) policy should not be viewed as a threat to productivity, but rather refined and implemented effectively to keep the economy running, says Sarawak Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He said the concept is not new, noting it has long been practised in many countries even outside crisis situations.
“Those raising concerns may not fully understand how it works. There is a fear that without being in the office, people won’t work — but when you work from home, you are still expected to work,” he was quoted by TVS as saying after attending the Dewan Usahawan Bumiputera Sarawak (DUBS) Kuching branch’s Hari Raya open house here today.
Abdul Karim stressed that with most tasks now carried out via laptops and the internet, productivity can be maintained, if not improved, under the right structure.
At the same time, he acknowledged employers’ concerns, especially among those unfamiliar with remote working arrangements and wary of reduced oversight.
Still, he said both employers and the government must take a measured approach to ensure the policy is executed effectively.
“I support its implementation in times like this. We must find the best way to ease the burden on the country and on ourselves, as ultimately, we bear the cost,” he added.
On April 1, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Cabinet had agreed to implement a WFH policy across ministries, agencies, statutory bodies, and government-linked companies (GLCs) beginning April 15.
The move aims to cut fuel consumption while safeguarding the nation’s energy sustainability. — DayakDaily
