Absenteeism among public sector employees

Dear Editor,

RECENTLY, a Deputy Minister at the PMO denounced public sector employee absenteeism. As a concerned citizen , I also feel that stringent and concrete steps must be taken to address this nagging issue for local and expatriate government employees.

I live in an area where most of the houses are rented to expatriates employed in the government sector as teachers, consultants, engineers. I feel most of the expats come to work here with sincere intention to contribute their utmost for our country in return for being paid generous salaries and benefits by our government.

Through observation of their daily activities, I feel that the government is just pouring money down the drain as some of these expats seem to be spending most of their time at home or running personal errands with their families during normal government office hours.

They do not seem to need to report to work earlier than 8.30am and yet they are back at home before 12.00pm. I can still see their cars parked in the garage even after 2pm and not surprisingly they are back from "work" well before 4.30pm.

Mind you, these are not unusual occurrences but almost daily rituals. One wonders why they are not missed at work unless of course as the saying goes "the fish smells from the head". One also wonders if they do not have much work, then why do the government departments hire them.

Concerned Rakyat,

Jalan Muara, BSB