Kuala lumpur: Malaysia will allow government officials to work from home in order to reduce energy consumption. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government will begin implementing work-from-home measures for government officials this month to reduce energy costs amid soaring oil prices resulting from conflicts in the Middle East.

According to Thai News Agency, the policy will come into effect from April 15 onwards and will cover personnel in ministries, government agencies, and affiliated companies related to the government. Malaysian leaders stated in a statement Wednesday night that the measure aims to reduce fuel consumption and ensure sufficient fuel supply in the country.

Mr. Anwar added that the practical details of this policy will be announced later, noting that Petronas, the state-owned oil and gas company, and related agencies are accelerating efforts to secure sufficient fuel and energy reserves. Furthermore, the government will intensify law enforcement to deal strictly with those who spread misinformation about the energy crisis online.

The Malaysian government currently bears the burden of subsidizing high energy prices, almost US$1 billion per month (approximately 36 billion baht), to maintain a fixed retail price of gasoline at gas stations.