Civil servants complain official WhatsApp use affecting their breaks

SENATE The use of social media applications like WhatsApp as a channel of communication in government departments is feared to affect the psychology of civil servants, according to a senator.

Senator Mariany Mohammad Yit said there were complaints by a group of civil servants who claimed the use of the social application had also affected quality time with family, as well as breaks.

"Nowadays, the use of social media applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp is very popular among the top management and officers in the public sector.

"There are also government departments which have made the WhatsApp group as a channel of communication," she said when debating the motion of thanks on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's speech at the Dewan Negara today.

She said it was evident that the use of social media applications had its advantages as well as disadvantages, however, the Public Service Department should clarify whether WhatsApp had been gazetted as an official channel of communication between civil servants.

- Bernama