The umbrella body for civil service unions said the government should prioritise matters that benefit workers, especially the welfare of civil servants, rather than matters that are not suitable to be implemented just yet.

“It is better to focus on the welfare of civil servants such as the rising prices of goods,” Cuepacs president Adnan Mat said in a Utusan Malaysia report.

Last Thursday, the public service department (JPA) set up a special team to study the implementation of a four-day work week following requests for an analysis from various parties.

The four-day work week took the spotlight last month after it was implemented for 3,000 employees in 70 UK companies without cuts to their pay.

Previously, a survey by experience management company Qualtrics showed 62% of Malaysians preferred flexibility over a four-day work week.