Former prime minister Najib Razak has chided the government's move to shorten the operation hours of the Urban Transformation Centres (UTC). 

Currently, the centres operate from 8am to 10pm. Beginning next year, they will shut at 7pm.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Najib said the decision would burden the people, notably employees who could not get approval from their employers to settle matters such as their taxes or renew licences during working hours.

"From giving convenience to the people, now (the government) is burdening the people … might as well just shut down UTC," he sneered.

Najib said, in the past, his administration had introduced the UTC for the convenience of the people.

He said UTC offers a variety of services at a centralised hub.

"Thousands of people go to UTC every day especially after working hours."

He also shared a purported letter from the secretary-general of the Treasury office in regards to the new operation hours.

The letter states that effective Jan 1, 2019, the new operation hours are from 8am to 7pm daily.