KUALA LUMPUR,  April 6 — The Secure Personnel Online Tracking, or SPOT-Me, used to digitally record civil servants’ attendance, is operating at an optimal level and is fully prepared to support the large-scale implementation of work-from-home (WFH) arrangements beginning April 15.

National Digital Department Principal Senior Assistant Director (Application Development Division) Elisah Satim said current usage data demonstrates the system’s readiness and reliability.

“SPOT-Me is currently stable and capable of supporting WFH needs. It is being used by over 40,000 users across 265 agencies, with strong performance and minimal downtime,” she said.

She was speaking as a panellist on the Public Service Department (JPA) podcast titled Work From Home Policy – Global Energy Crisis, streamed on the department’s YouTube and Facebook platforms.

Also featured was JPA Senior Deputy Director (Salaries and Allowances Division) Zanariah Zainuddin, while its Corporate Communications Director Dr Diyana Hassim moderated the session.

Developed in 2020 by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU), SPOT-Me enables civil servants to log check-in and check-out times whether working from the office or remotely, as well as submit completed tasks for verification.

According to Elisah, early intervention measures have been implemented to prevent technical disruptions, as the number of users is expected to surge to 400,000 when the policy takes effect.

A stress test will also be conducted to ensure the system can handle simultaneous large-scale usage, she said.

Meanwhile, Zanariah said the minimum eligibility requirement of an eight-kilometre one-way commute strikes a reasonable balance between achieving government cost savings and easing the burden on civil servants.

Previously, a circular issued by Public Service Director-General(KPPA) Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz stated that federal civil servants in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Selangor and all state capitals with a commute exceeding eight kilometres are eligible for WFH starting April 15.

However, several sectors are exempted, including security and enforcement agencies such as the Malaysian Armed Forces, Royal Malaysia Police, Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, the Prisons Department, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, the Border Control and Protection Agency, and the Malaysian Immigration Department.

Critical service sectors are also excluded, including healthcare personnel such as doctors, pharmacists, dentists and nurses, as well as education officers involved in school sessions. — Bernama