Is it fair to say "I don't have work to do, so I will just chat or sleep on my desk" when you are in the office and the company pays you on time?

its not acceptable, when you have the free time and you have no work, think out of the box what you can do that will benefit the compnay and your self esteem: Lots of things to do :1) Prepare office work related manuals for new comers2) Do online training courses3) assist your fellow colleagues if they are lacking in their work4) walk down to your team leader and proactively ask for assistance if he could be of any help to him5) you can lead by an example, if you follow these examples others will also follow you.6) Share your examples and ideas with related to work with your colleagues So many things one can do, rather than just idlying and taking a nap !

It's absolutely unfair to say such a thing - on the contrary there are so many things that can be done even when a project is dormant or if the team you're working in is not yet functional.1.
Create report formats.2.
Read Company Policies to understand the Organizations Goals.3.
Update or Upgrade yours skills by undergoing company provided Online training programs.4.
Interact with other colleagues to understand what they do To be honest, doing something constructive at such a time would only increase your visibility and add to your value in the organization.

No it's not fair....
If there is no work to do then one should utilize his/her time in advancing their knowledge...they should read online article related to their field, or read books....
they should purchase online learning portal and use that portal during office time after taking approval from his/her boss and study...most organization have e-learning system (skill soft) and they allow their employees to study during officer hours or during break time....
in short if one has time then he/she should utilize their time in enhancing their own knowledge & skills.....

It is unacceptable, go to your manager, or your colleagues and ask to help others. Make yourself usefull and there is always work. And when you seek work to do and make a difference, then career progression is a true option, not merely a wish.

No - not at all.

However this is a big thing here in SA.  It can be the work culture unfortunately compounded by the government100% saudization plan which is not quite as successful as it was meant to be.  Many employed receive a salary but to the outsider or immediate colleague it seems little work is being done and is unfair when they are working hard, coming to work on time, leaving on time and workind hard during the day, sometimes having to do the work of the person who is mean to be working!

Many jobs are advertised but there is no take up by national population for whatever reason, too demanding, long hours etc. 

So what do you do?

You have to think of yourself in this situation.   To get involved will leave you in a delicate situation and although the situation is not right, you may find yourself on the wrong side of the situation.  Best to ignore it, take a deep breath and continue to perform your work professionally. That way no-one can call your name, you've kept your integrity and your job.  Things have a way of working themselves out, it may take time but best to keep eye on own role.

Sleeping on your desk at work is something unacceptable in my views.
Theres always things to be done during free time, for example: do your filing, reorganizing your files, folders and even your desk.
You can also do research on the web which can be useful to your job.
In the world we are living now, you should take advantage of the least second, time is money and money shouldnt be wasted inefficiently.

Never.
There is always work to do, improvements to make, or things to learn.
I would say there are some companies wherein employees who have high task orientations will complete the work they are given to do well before deadlines.
The difference between a good employee and a great one is that a great one will take that time and improve his or her knowledge.
He or she will go see where he or she can be of service to others if that is permitted.
They have a value added attitude.
Its funny because as a parent I have children who complete their school work and they like to play video games.
At some point they get bored.
They say mama I am bored.
I say you shouldn't be.
All that there is to learn, read, and create.
You should never be bored.

Its seem sound "un-professional" & "lack of professionalism" attitude. Despite of not having project and knowing the fact that company pays you on-time. One must come forward and initiate  to volunteer in any form. The steps could be taken while reviewing the organization and area of opportunity’s where he or she could serve. It’s like providing orientation to juniors, helping a colleague in developing technical and soft skills, having financial resource with organization, do plan the CSR initiatives. Based on available circumstance one could add value to itself and organization, but it require a commitment and will to bring change.

 

If you don't have work, you can find some one have more work for his time, so you can help another one in your company.

Even if the company appears to be dormant, this is definitely not an excuse to utilize your working time for personal affairs. Just the simple fact that the company is in a dormant stage is a red flag that you have a duty to transform the inactivity and stagnant situation into a productive, innovative project for yourself and your coworkers. Nine times out of ten, if you aren't doing much neither are your coworkers and this extra time could be utilized wisely in a variety of ways.  Needless to say you can commence this project by dividing it into three major objectives : Attaining Knowledge and Skills, Solving Problems, and Implementing an Effective Advertising Program. You can attain knowledge within your field by hands-on training or simply reading books related to your industry. Do not forget this is a team effort, the company could possibly provide supplemental workshops for its employees periodically throughout the fiscal year. The next objective to solve problems can be done by observing the work environment and/ or sales charts for any shortcomings. Once again, as team this should be discussed and resolved by merging practical, innovative ideas. Lastly, implementing a well-designed, budgeted advertisement program to help the chief executive could mutually benefit the company and the individual workers themselves. Together, united with the cause of helping your organization and proving your self-worth you can work wonders. Just because you get paid for doing nothing does not mean you should cheat the company by limiting your greatness!

This is considered to be unethical,you are inside the workplace therefore you need to work if you want to play,sleep and do something not related to office works then you need to go home or better do not work...people like this needs to be reprimanded immediately...the company provide your salary it is only right for you to work for it and earned it