Cuepacs Sarawak wary of relaxation of restrictions under CMCO
SIBU: Congress of Unions for Employees in Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) Sarawak urges each federal agency in the state which will be operating to adhere to the guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) set to ensure the safety of civil servants.
In a statement here yesterday, Cuepacs Sarawak (CNS) president Ahmad Malie said the safety measures include work flexibility and ensuring social distancing in the office.
These agencies are also urged to provide face masks and hand sanitizers for the use of civil servants while on duty.
Ahmad was responding to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement on May 1 to allow almost all economic sectors and business activities to resume operations under the terms and SOPs set by the authorities starting yesterday, and all government offices would also resume operations from the same day.
“But easing the restriction does not involve Sarawak’s civil servants because the state-led GPS government has decided not to implement the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO),” he said.
He pointed out that CNS is somehow reluctant to accept the CMCO to allow civil servants, in particular federal servants, to work at the office beginning yesterday as recently announced by Muhyiddin.
“For CNS, easing the restriction is still a concern for civil servants from the safety aspect. Nonetheless, CNS needs to abide by the policy because CNS is confident that the federal government has rationale and justification to implement CMCO.”
Ahmad noted since the easing of restrictions does not make it mandatory for civil servants to work in office, CNS also proposed that each federal agency allow their staff to work from home if their tasks can be done at home to break the chain of Covid-19 infection.
In view that the Sarawak government had decided not to follow the steps taken by the federal government on the CMCO, CNS also urged the federal government to allow federal agencies in Sarawak to follow the state’s decision and not to ease the restrictions and follow the existing SOPs.
“Meaning, federal agencies in Sarawak should abide by the state government’s policy. CNS is urging as such because CNS is of the view that using the same procedure and SOP is the best move to combat and break the chain of Covid19 infection,” Ahmad stressed.