KUALA LUMPUR, May 1  — The public and private sectors will resume operation starting Monday (May 4) which will see new normal at work, among them encouraging employees to work from home apart from observing a daily work rotation schedule. 

The measures were made under the implementation of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) to enable the reopening of economic activities throughout the country in a controlled and cautious approach to continue the curb on COVID-19 infection.

For the public sector, the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government is encouraging civil servants to work from home except for work processes which require physical presence in office.

He said meetings are also encouraged to be held online via secure medium and for those who have problems of childcare, the government allows employees to work in rotation apart from observing flexible working hours.

“I am asking all heads of departments to hold discussions at their respective departmental level to rearrange manpower in their departments with priority given to the concept of working from home,” he said in the Prime Minister’s special message in conjunction with Workers’ Day today.

Referring to the opening of the various economic sectors, Muhyiddin said employers are encouraged to allow employees to work from home apart from having a schedule on working in office and from home on alternate days.

“I think it could also help solve the problem of looking after children. Even though childcare centres are opened by practising specific health standard operating procedure (SOP), I know many parents are worried about sending their children.  

“So, if employers can give leeway to allow the husband and wife to work in office on alternate days, it would help to solve the problem of childcare,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the measure would indirectly reduce the number of children at childcare centres apart from facilitating the minders to manage children according to the health SOP stipulated.

“So I am asking employers to allow couples with young children to work from home on alternate days,” he said.

The Prime Minister said apart from that, all employers are required to comply with the guidelines on preventing the spread of COVID-19 at the workplace especially on quarantine order, medical leave and dismissal of workers.

He said employers should take the appropriate measures to avoid termination of workers due to COVID-19 as proposed in the Code of Conduct on limiting overtime, and reducing work days in a week or reducing the number of employees on duty in a week.

In conjunction with Workers’ Day celebration themed “ Workers and the Challenge of the New Normal Culture’ which fell in a time when the country is combating COVID-19, Muhyiddin reminded workers and employers to adhere to the Employment Act 1995, Industrial Relations Act 1967 and other labour acts under the Ministry of Human Resources.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest appreciation and Happy Workers’ Day wishes to all frontliners – doctors, nurses and personnel of police, armed forces, RELA, immigration, Civil Defence Force, MMEA, Social Welfare Department as well as employees in the public and private sectors.

“I also wish Happy Workers’ Day to all leaders and members of worker unions including the leadership of CUEPACS and MTUC,” he said.

In combating COVID-19, Muhyiddin urged employers and employees to take the necessary measures at the workplace to ensure the health of workers such as taking body temperature daily and seeking treatment if there are symptoms.

“Apart from that, workers should also ensure tables, chairs and devices in the office are sanitized and avoid body contact with other workers,” he said.

Muhyiddin also called on the people to immediately report to the authorities if there were cases of people with symptoms at the workplace or housing area.

He said contact tracing is very important to facilitate detection of COVID-19 infection by health personnel.

“To ease contact tracing, the government has created the MySejahtera and MyTrace applications. I hope all of you with mobile phones would download the application to assist the Health Ministry carry out contact tracing if a new infection occurs. This is our responsibility,” he said.

Being aware of the increase in public transport users and customers at petrol stations, the Prime Minister wants all petrol stations and public transport operators to take preventive measures such as providing hand sanitizer.      

“In our effort to control the spread of COVID-19, we must avoid crowded bus, LRT and MRT stations. There should be actions taken by public transport operators to control the movement of the people,” he said.

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