Malacca is to implement on Apr 1 a system monitoring the punctuality of civil servants that will send an SMS or e-mail to the head of department if a staff arrives late for work.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron said the first phase of the 'Punctuality Cascading Reporting System' would be implemented at the state government administrative centre at the Seri Negeri Complex in Ayer Keroh.

He said the 20 fingerprint scan and punch card machines at the complex had been upgraded to use the system developed by the Information Technology Service Division of the Chief Minister's Department.

"The system will be implemented later at the state government subsidiaries," he told reporters after the state government's monthly assembly here.

Idris said the state government was prepared to offer the service to private companies which wanted to implement the system at their premises.

He said the state government was implementing the system to make civil servants more disciplined and responsible.

Civil servants who arrived late for work thrice in a month would get a letter pertaining to disciplinary action automatically via e-mail, he said.