The Malaysian Insight

EMPLOYERS have called for work-from-home mandates to be lifted as Covid-19 restrictions are loosened.

They also argue that businesses near offices will benefit as workers return to their workstations 

Most businesses are allowed to open after the strictest level of curbs in Malaysia, the movement-control order was lifted on Friday and replaced with the conditional MCO and recovery MCO.

Senior minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Thursday said the government has yet to discuss lifting work-from-home rules, which allow only 30% of a company’s management staff in the office.

However, business leaders said people are steadily heading back to offices, with at least 50% back at work.

Malaysia Retail Chain Association deputy president Liew Bin said it makes no sense to limit offices when restaurants are allowed to seat tables at full capacity.

“I feel like there is no difference between the two. If you can eat together then what’s the issue with people working in the offices?

“People’s desks in offices are typically further apart compared to seats in restaurants,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Liew said working from home has had a noticeable impact on productivity and called for rules to be eased.

According to Statistics Department data released in February, productivity has been decreasing since work-from-home measures began, recording a reduction of 2.2% in the third quarter and a 2.9% fall in the fourth quarter last year.

Liew also said allowing workers to return to offices will also boost food businesses nearby.

“If not, restaurants near offices will have less business as well, when they should be recovering right now.

“When you work in offices, there will be consumption, whereas working from home reduces said consumption.”

Liew said Malaysians are now more aware of Covid-19 rules and most people are wearing masks when outdoors.

Malaysia SME Association president Michael Kang said it is necessary to ease work-from-home measures but it is important to continue adherence to the SOP to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Everyone should return to work but with strict adherence to the SOP. There shouldn’t be any question about working only at 10% capacity, everyone should return.”

Kang said the government should set out procedures, including in the event of infection, such as closing the premises and isolating close contacts for 14 days.

“If anybody in the office gets infected, it should be closed for two weeks while close contacts are isolated for two weeks or 10 days,” he said.

Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) SME committee chairman Koong Ling Long said it is unreasonable to keep the 30% staff in office rule when cinemas are allowed to open and restaurants to seat to full capacity.

“From the management side, we can see two reasons to ease restrictions. One is that most SMEs are in the services industry and two is that we haven’t seen any cluster involving offices.”

Most of the country’s workplace Covid-19 clusters have involved factories, with a few others involving services like cleaning, security guards and supermarkets, which typically have large numbers of migrant labourers living in close quarters.

“These people (office workers) are in the low-risk group, so to limit staff to 30% is strange. At least 50% should be allowed,” Koong said.

ACCCIM has suggested to the International Trade and Industry Ministry to allow more management staff to return to the office and believes the ministry is working on it.

The current rules of temperature checks, checking in using the MySejahtera app and setting tables at least 1m apart should continue.

However, one area needing better compliance from office workers is mask-wearing.

Koong said most office workers are not wearing masks in the workplace, even though they do so outside.

Masks should stay on when working in the office as this will reduce the risk of transmission, he said. – March 7, 2021.