KUALA LUMPUR: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public Service (Cuepacs) has described a four-day working week in Malaysia as being inappropriate at present.

Its president Datuk Adnan Mat said Cuepacs was of the view that the government would only be wasting resources and time if it intends to conduct a feasibility study on the matter.

Instead, he said the government needs to focus on more pertinent issues involving public sector employment which have been announced and enforced, when in fact they were still in the study stage or yet to be implemented.

"The resources and time used by the government to study the feasibility of a four-day working week should instead be used to 'treat' the current situation plaguing civil servants affected by low wage issues and other welfare matters. 

"Focus should also be given to things that benefit the employees rather than studying things that should not be implemented at present," he said in a statement today.

Last Thursday, the Public Service Department (PSD) announced the setting up of a team to study a four-day working week in the country involving the public sector.

PSD director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shafiq Abdullah said the study would, among others, look at areas in the civil service which were suitable for implementing the reduced working time period and total working hours in a day.

The study will also look at the aspects involving return on investment, as well as whether the working hours are relevant to be implemented or not.

In the meantime, Adnan said the government had already announced many things for civil servants, but their implementation had yet to take place.

He said this included the implementation of minimum wage through the new remuneration system, early redemption of leave replacement and promotion on a 'time based' basis which was shortened previously.

"With the rising cost of living, of course, priority must be given to matters related to the improvement of the public service delivery system and the welfare of civil servants," he said.

Adnan said priority should be accorded for the continued delivery of excellent service to the people.

"Cuepacs also hopes that top management in the civil service will be able to maintain harmony among staff by adhering to the rules during service.

"Any decision related to human resources should be made based on existing rules to avoid loss of human capital," he said.