Kota Kinabalu: A premature and broadly imposed Work-From-Home (WFH) policy risks doing more harm than good to Sabah’s productivity, service delivery, and economic momentum.
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Datuk Chin Su Phin said any such policy must be grounded in Sabah’s actual conditions and not implemented prematurely.
He said the global developments have already made this clear.
“Across major economies such as the United States and the United Kingdom, organisations that once embraced full-scale WFH have since reversed course or imposed hybrid return-to-office policies.
“This shift did not occur without reason. Many institutions reported declining productivity, slower decision-making, weaker supervision, and breakdowns in coordination, particularly in roles requiring teamwork and real-time execution,” he said in a statement here on Thursday.
In several cases, Chin said prolonged remote work resulted in reduced accountability, communication gaps, and operational inefficiencies, forcing both public and private sectors to recalibrate their approach.
He said even major corporations have publicly acknowledged that sustained WFH arrangements affected performance standards, collaboration culture, and overall organisational discipline.
These are not theoretical concerns, they are real-world outcomes observed across advanced economies with far stronger digital infrastructure than Sabah, he added.
Hence, Chin said Sabah must not repeat these mistakes as the realities in Sabah make the situation even more challenging.
“Firstly, transportation and daily work structures in Sabah differ significantly from larger urban centres. Many workers rely on fixed workplaces and structured routines. The transition to WFH is not always practical, particularly for those whose roles are not designed for remote execution.
“Secondly, logistical limitations remain a major concern. Not all employees are equipped to transport, install, or operate essential work equipment from home. Many roles require access to systems, documents, or on-site coordination that cannot be easily replicated remotely.
“Thirdly, Sabah does not yet have uniform digital infrastructure and stable connectivity to support large-scale remote work. Internet reliability, workspace limitations, and unequal access to proper working environments continue to pose real constraints.
“Fourthly, there is a serious risk that productivity, efficiency, and accountability may be adversely affected. Without proper systems, monitoring mechanisms, and structured oversight, a broad WFH policy could lead to operational inefficiencies, slower decision-making, and weakened service delivery,” he said.
In addition, Chin said key sectors in Sabah, including public services, logistics, construction, retail, and hospitality, depend heavily on physical presence and real-time coordination. A blanket WFH policy would disrupt workflows and undermine operational effectiveness across these sectors.
He said policy decisions of this scale must be grounded in necessity, not assumption.
At present, he said there is no compelling justification to impose a broad WFH directive across Sabah.
“If any form of remote working arrangement is to be considered, it must be targeted, phased, and sector-specific, with clear safeguards to ensure productivity, accountability, and continuity of service, not implemented as a blanket measure,” Chin said..
He said Sabah’s strength has always been its practical, results-driven approach.
“Any policy that risks weakening productivity and disrupting economic activity must be approached with caution, discipline, and clear justification,” he said.
