Govt yet to propose six-hour work system implementation - Shahidan

The government has no plans to implement a daily six-hour work system for civil servants because it takes into account the national productivity level that needs to be improved to attain developed nation status by 2020.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said although the government took note of the advantages of the system, it was deemed not feasible at present.

"But the government is now implementing staggered working hours to provide flexibility in which employees can choose when to work.

"The working hours are 7.30am to 4.30pm, 8am to 5pm and 8.30am to 5.30pm," he said when replying to Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang) at the Dewan Rakyat sitting here today.

Siti Zailah asked whether the government intended to implement the system of daily six-hour working hours and flexible working hours, especially for female civil servants with families.

Shahidan said to achieve developed nation status, productivity should not be reduced as practised in several developed countries that are still implementing the eight-hour work day system.

"Japan, Britain and Singapore, these countries still retained the eight-hour working hours despite having attained developed nation status," he said.

Replying to a supplementary question from Siti Zailah on whether the government proposed to standardise Friday as the weekend holiday, Shahidan said the matter was up to the policy of the state government. -- BERNAMA