Flexible Work Policy, SARA Enhancements Raised In Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- The proposed implementation of a flexible work policy and enhancements to the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiative were among the issues raised by Members of Parliament during the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address at the Dewan Rakyat today.

Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) said the modern world has seen people spending less time with their families and experiencing mental fatigue due to long working hours amid rising living costs, which in turn affects the family institution as the foundation of a stable and prosperous society.

He said the government should therefore consider implementing a flexible work policy, including encouraging work-from-home arrangements for suitable sectors, to better safeguard workers’ mental health and foster an employer culture that values work-life balance.

“A developed country is not measured solely by its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but also by the quality of life of its people,” he said during the session, emphasising that national progress must go hand in hand with the well-being of the people.

Meanwhile, Wong Shu Qi (PH-Kluang) described SARA as an assistance initiative that helps ease the burden on the people, but stressed that the government needs to tighten monitoring of its implementation, particularly in relation to the registration of 10,000 rural retail outlets as SARA shops, as announced earlier.

“This demonstrates that the MADANI Government listens to the views of the people and is open to improving its policies. However, I urge the Ministry of Finance to more closely monitor the implementation of the programme by the MyKasih Foundation.

“Earlier today, I received a complaint from traders in my constituency who said their applications have been submitted for almost six months, yet they have not received any response from the party responsible for processing them,” she said.

Wong also proposed that the government prioritise local products so that SARA assistance would not only help alleviate the cost of living, but also support local traders and manufacturers by encouraging the purchase of locally made goods using SARA funds.

Raising the issue of early childhood education for children aged six to Year One, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (MUDA-Muar) said efforts to implement the initiative should begin by ensuring that preschool education is free of charge, of high quality, and accessible in a fair and equitable manner to all students.

He added that Malaysia should emulate the approach adopted by developed countries, which provide free, easily accessible and quality preschool education without early screening mechanisms, if it intends to effectively implement early childhood education.

“Other developed countries have implemented free, accessible and quality education systems. They do not practise a choice-based or two-tiered entry system, nor do they conduct diagnostic tests or differentiate between urban and rural areas based on disparities in teacher and student ratios.

“They do not have such distinctions. What we need is proper adaptation — taking what is good from other countries, without blindly copying systems that may not suit us, and without overlooking the positive elements that have proven effective,” he said.

The sitting will continue on Monday.

-- BERNAMA