Govt mulls work from home for those caring for elderly and infants

 

The government hopes to enable women to remain in employment as well as increase their productivity, while caring for family at home. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is looking at extending the work from home (WFH) arrangement for both the public and private sectors’ staff and giving full pay to enable workers to care for ailing family members, or in the case of men, to help their wives look after a newborn child.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the move was to encourage shared responsibility and to enable women to remain in employment as well as increase women’s work productivity.

“I suggest that the Public Service Department (JPA) and the human resources ministry look into the feasibility of extending this facility,” he said in his pre-recorded Women’s Day 2021 speech broadcast over several television networks today.

The prime minister said the government was also looking into extending the WFH arrangement to workers whose spouses have just died, as matters related to the loss of loved ones normally took time to be settled.

Muhyiddin also strongly urged all parties concerned to ensure the provision of a safe working environment, including taking measures to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

“(They must) also ensure that all aspects of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation are based on gender-responsive budget analysis,” he said.

The prime minister then called for both the public and private sectors to take advantage of government grants for the establishment of childcare centres at their work premises, which he said would give a multiplier effect for many parties.

In addition, in line with the theme “Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world” as announced by UN Women for International Women’s Day 2021 celebration, Muhyiddin said women’s voices should be heard at a higher level, and they should be included as decision-makers, in accordance with their areas of expertise.

On business facilities for women, the prime minister said under MyDigital and the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint, the government would provide incentives called MyKasih Kapital.

“This is a business capital injection for businesses, such as e-commerce, with a maximum capital of RM1,000 each for at least 2,000 eligible recipients,” he said.

The government will also set up the Waja Squad with the participation of women in the community to provide psychosocial support and raise awareness on criminal issues to stop violence against women, as well as strengthen public knowledge on women’s rights. - FMT