THE work culture within Malaysia’s civil service has long been a point of public scrutiny, often drawing criticism for perceived inefficiencies and lax discipline.
While efforts have been made to reform the system — including calls from Prime Minister Datuk Anwar Ibrahim to improve performance under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA) — concerns persist.
Despite such efforts to reform Malaysia’s civil service, a Threads user recently claimed that his colleagues only ate two hours after their break, as part of the break time allocated from 1pm to 2pm was allegedly used for nap time.
“That’s why, when people criticise government staff, they’re quick to get defensive. But the reality is, it’s true,” he said in his post.
In the post, it was alleged that due to a delay in their food delivery orders — which only arrived at 1.30pm — his colleagues only ate at 2.15pm, as they had used the one-hour break to nap.
On top of that, the colleagues left for their Zohor prayers at almost 2pm. Only after they were done did they allegedly eat their lunch — during official working hours.
Netizens backed the man’s claims, with many alleging that they too had observed government staff not productively utilising their time in the office.
“This is a sensitive topic, even though it’s the hard truth that is difficult to accept. I once did my internship at a municipal council. Breakfast was from 8.30am to 10.30am. During site visits, they’d stop by their mother’s house, go home for lunch (which took up extra time), pick up their kids, and drop them off,” a user claimed.
“The bitter truth that’s hard to swallow. Although it doesn’t happen in every department or unit — it does exist,” another remarked.
While it’s important not to generalise all civil servants, these accounts highlight ongoing issues that continue to tarnish the public perception of government work culture.
With increased calls for accountability and productivity within the public sector, such discussions — though uncomfortable — may serve as a catalyst for much-needed reform.
