Civil servants still in holiday mood

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Many civil servants in Makassar skipped work on Friday, although it was a normal working day.

Business was still slow at the South Sulawesi governor's office, the Makassar mayoralty administration and the South Sulawesi provincial council.

At the governor's office, for instance, many desks were unattended at 11 a.m. local time. The employees found wandering around the office were mostly security guards and interns.

The governor himself was already at work on Friday at 8 a.m. and receiving guests, including representatives of the provincial branch of state oil and gas company PT Pertamina.

Those who skipped work apparently ignored a recent circular distributed by the South Sulawesi provincial administration, which urged them to go into the office on Friday.

"Today is an ill-timed day to go into the office. Yesterday we had off, and tomorrow is the weekend. Why don't we just skip work today, too," said Anne, a civil servant at the governor's office, who did not go into work on Friday.

No statement was available from the South Sulawesi government as to whether it will punish those who skipped work on Friday. -- Antara