Most govt counter services to be closed for lockdown

 

Airport immigration counters are among those essential services which will remain open. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will fully implement the Work from Home policy for all civil servants following the announcement of the total lockdown from Tuesday, said Mohd Zuki Ali, chief secretary to the government, today.

Mohd Zuki said the policy was aimed at reducing face-to-face individual contact to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infections. However, it did not apply to those involved in the frontline, safety, defence and enforcement services.

“All meetings and discussions should be conducted online through a secure medium and guaranteed confidentiality and no meetings or physical activities are allowed.

“Counter services will be closed and all transactions should be done through online services except health service counters, police stations and at international entry points involving customs, immigration and quarantine,” he said.

Mohd Zuki said details of the WFH policy were contained in a service circular which specifies that civil servants are not to tend to personal matters during working hours.

Not more than 20% of staff will be allowed into offices to carry out work processes that cannot be done at home.

Among the duties allowed to be conducted in the office are payments of contracts, invoices or salaries, payments or distribution of monthly and periodic assistance to the people, maintenance or security of premises and ICT technical management for system maintenance and online meetings as well as preparations of papers and documents involving Cabinet ministers.

The staff rotation is for a maximum of four hours and attendance to the office must be with an official instruction document and work passes.

Mohd Zuki said monitoring would be carried out from time to time and necessary action would be taken for any non-compliance with the order.

“Any exemption must be approved by the Chief Secretary’s office,” he said.

EPF offices and counters closed

Separately, the Employees Provident Fund said it will close its offices and service counters during the lockdown period.

All prior Janji Temu Online appointments are cancelled and members were told to reschedule their visits to a date after the lockdown is over.

EPF contributors were asked to access online transactions during the period. The list of services available online is posted on its website.

The EPF also announced that its offices and counters in Kluang, Johor, and Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, were closed from today after employees were tested positive for Covid-19. - FMT