Kazakhstan mulls new time zone change

Almaty, Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan on Wednesday signalled that it could reverse a controversial change in time zone, a rare concession to public anger in...

Almaty, Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan on Wednesday signalled that it could reverse a controversial change in time zone, a rare concession to public anger in the tightly controlled Central Asian nation.

Kazakhstan in March moved to five hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), forcing most regions of the vast nation -- which spans 3,000 kilometres (1,860 miles) east to west -- to turn their clocks back one hour.

The move prompted uproar from citizens who said it disrupted their biological rhythm and frustration has not subsided.

Under the new system, sunsets can occur up to two-and-a-half hours later in western cities compared to those on the eastern border near China.

Now ruling party politicians have urged a review. "The change of time zone is one of the most talked about issues in society," said parliament chairman Yerlan Koshanov.