THE Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) has called for a dignified approach to reprimanding public servants, noting the need to avoid widespread dissemination of such actions on social media platforms.
Cuepacs secretrary-general Abdul Rahman Mohd Nordin stressed the importance of respectful communication in addressing issues concerning public servants. He highlighted the potential misrepresentation of situations when reprimands are publicised on social media, according to news portal FreeMalaysiaToday.
Besides, Abdul Rahman’s remarks came in response to a recent incident involving Johor Menteri Besar (MB) Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi’s reprimand to the Immigration Department.
Onn Hafiz expressed disappointment on Facebook regarding congestion issues at Tambak Johor, where 13 counters at the car lane were reportedly closed to the public causing delays.
In defence of the Immigration Department staff, Abdul Rahman noted that they had been diligently managing the entry of Malaysian citizens into Singapore and vice versa particularly at one of the world’s busiest border crossings.
“During the MB’s (Onn Hafiz) visit, it was off-peak hours, and a small number of counters were closed due to officers taking breaks and attending to other administrative duties.
“Officers have been working tirelessly at the entrance (Tambak Johor), one of the busiest in the world. Criticisms will cause morale to decline,” he said.
Moreover, Abdul Rahman cautioned against publicising all issues on social media, suggesting that some matters could be resolved internally.
“Not all issues need to be publicised on social media as it would invite criticism from netizens. Instead, he said some issues could be resolved internally, especially considering Onn Hafiz’s position as the chairman of the Traffic Congestion Task Force at Tambak Johor.”
The dispute over congestion at Tambak Johor sparked exchanges between Onn Hafiz and the Immigration Services Union of Peninsular Malaysia (KPISM).
While Onn Hafiz expressed disappointment over operational efficiency at the national border gates, KPISM president Ajeet Singh Gurbax Singh attributed congestion to staff shift changes and the need for breaks after peak hours. – March 29, 2024
Main photo credit: Onn Hafiz Ghazi’s Facebook
