Longer govt dept working hours to service public better

PETALING JAYA: The public will be able to access services from government departments and agencies nationwide from 7.30am to 6pm.
In a circular, Public Services Department director-general Tan Sri Zainal Rahim Seman said the longer working hours will provide flexibility to public servants.
He said the change of working hours that took effect on Jan 1 will help enhance public service delivery.
He said this change is in line with the government's public service transformation as well its efforts to improve service delivery.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak had announced the introduction of new working hours from 9am to 6pm to provide more flexibility to public servants during the 2018 budget presentation.
Zainal said the working hours for federal government offices will be divided into four shifts 7.30am to 4.30pm, 8am to 5pm, 8.30am to­ 5.30pm and 9am to 6pm.
In the circular, it was stated that government departments and agencies in Perlis, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Melaka, Pahang, Sabah, Sarawak, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya will be open on weekdays from 7.30am to 6pm.
Their break time remains unchanged from 1pm to 2pm (Monday to Thursday) for all states and 12.15pm to 2.45pm (Friday) in Peninsular Malaysia.
It said for Sabah and Labuan, the break time on Friday is from 11.30am to 2pm, while in Sarawak, the break time on Friday is from 11.45am to 2.15pm.
The circular sated that in Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor, operating hours are from 7.30am to 6pm from Sunday to Wednesday and 7.30am to 4.30pm on Thursday and the break time for these four states is from 1pm to 2pm.