Malaysia’s deputy premier has told the country’s civil servants they need to work harder and spend more time at their desks, according to a report on Tuesday.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak told a gathering of civil servants, who are frequently criticised for their seven-hour days, to condition their minds to see work as a virtue, not a punishment.
“If our minds are set that it is a chore to work, we will treat our work, even the simplest, as a burden,” the New Straits Times newspaper quoted him as saying.
Najib urged them to think of the benefit to the country’s productivity if people extended their working hours.
“Just imagine if we work 10 hours and not just seven or eight hours per day. If that is asking too much, take nine hours. I don’t think nine hours per day is too much to ask,” Najib said.
“Even bringing files home is not a burden, as we have placed our work as something that is holy, blissful and good, not only for ourselves but also the country,” he added.
The deputy premier said European countries, which had introduced a 35-hour working week, such as France, risked losing productivity and competitiveness.
“In five days, that means a worker there must not work more than seven hours a day. Such nations may not achieve economic growth as their productivity would be stifled due to limited working hours,” he said.
Malaysian government offices run working days from 8.30am to 4.30pm. — AFP