| Local News |
PNB embracing WFH
as a permanent opti
Work-from-home (WFH)
is now a permanent
option, not just during
the Movement Control
Order (MCO) arrangement,
said Permodalan Nasional
Bhd (PNB) president and
group CEO Jalil Rasheed.
In a recent tweet, Jalil said the largest stateowned
fund had WFH as a permanent option,
and most meetings would be a hybrid of virtual
and in-person.“We defied all odds working well
the past two months virtually. Nothing stopped
us from adopting flexibility permanently.
“We have made great strides in using
technology, virtual meetings and digital
signatures, so this momentum must continue
even when staff return,” said Jalil, who is PNB’s
youngest president and CEO appointed. He was
appointed last year at the age of 38.
According to him, this was part of
PNB’s strategic plan, one focus area being
organisational transformation.“People and
culture are a huge part of it. So, this initiative fits
right in,” he said.
However, he added that as not every role
can be done from homes, such as drivers and
security, the company is giving employees
the option to choose how or where they want
to work. He said staff would be equipped with
the technology hardware and would be asked
to download the MySejahtera application, to
ensure they are traceable if any unfortunate
incident happens.
“We will also issue guidelines or tips to
people managers on how to manage remote
or split teams, answer all frequently asked
questions (FAQs) and have dedicated people
assigned to them when they have
added.
PNB extended its WFH exercise
end of May to ensure its employee
necessary preparations for Hari Ra
amid the closure of schools and ch
centres. Jalil said as the average ag
company’s staff was 39, many had
children.
“We’ll be fluid with it to [be in]
schools reopen,” he said.
Beginning June 2020, Jalil said,
would be deployed over three mon
not too many employees are in the
“Those who are doing well from
continue doing so. Of course, anyb
wants to return to the office is wel
so],” he said.
He also said PNB had introduce
whereby employees could choose
want to work as long as they delive
“They can choose to work from
they want. The key is trust, keepin
and colleagues informed. And bein
he added. — The Health
Malaysia-born artist from Holla
pays tribute to frontliners
Elias Mohd, 62, who has been residing in the
Netherlands since 1987, expressed his gratitude
to Malaysian Covid-19 frontliners in containing
the spread of the deadly virus through portrait
paintings.
Elias, who is also a sculptor and lecturer
at an art academy in Amsterdam, spends his
free time while in his hometown, Kijal, by
painting prominent figures including the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah
Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the
Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah
Aminah.
Terengganu-born Elias also produced
portraits of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin
Yassin and Health Director-General Datuk Dr
Noor Hisham Abdullah. “I returned to Malaysia
to take part in a sculptor exhibition at the Putra
World Trade Centre (PWTC) scheduled this July.
But the exhibition was cancelled, and I had
booked a ticket to return to Amsterdam on May
12.
“Due to Covid-19, the flight was cancelled, and
I have no idea when I would be able to go back.
So, during my free time, I decided to draw the
portraits of the Malaysian heroes on art paper,”
he told Bernama, adding he takes one or two
days to complete the paintings.
Using only colour pencils, Elias
auction the paintings online, and t
will be donated to those in need, in
frontliners.
On his serious involvement in t
Elias said he started by drawing po
roadside in the Land of Windmills
ago, resulting in huge demand for
and sculptures from top buyers in
United States and Malaysia.
To date, he has conducted over 3
exhibitions across the globe to dis
artwork and was selected as the offi
at the Barcelona, Spain Olympic G
1992 along with six other Dutch pr
painters. — The Health