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THE nationwide implementation of the Work-from-Home (WFH) policy for Malaysia’s federal public sector has commenced today, with ministries and departments adopting remote working arrangements while maintaining full operational continuity for public services, particularly at service counters.
A Bernama check revealed that most federal government premises were operating with significantly reduced in-office staffing levels, although essential counter services continued to function smoothly.
Urban Transformation Centres (UTCs), including key agencies such as the Immigration Department and the Royal Malaysia Police, remained open and fully operational to the public.
In Putrajaya, the country’s federal administrative capital, the atmosphere was notably subdued compared to usual weekday activity.
Most civil servants within ministries were observed working remotely from home, while government buildings appeared to be operating in a low-power mode, with reduced lighting and only a portion of lift services in use.
Despite the widespread shift to remote working, public service delivery was reported to be unaffected.
Counter transactions continued as normal, ensuring uninterrupted access for citizens requiring essential government services.
Azlina Suliman, an accountant at the Consultancy Division of the Accountant General’s Department, said civil servants have adapted well to the new arrangement, following structured workflows and clear schedules.
Azlina said officers must log tasks in the system, use office laptops, prioritise core duties, and set up a conducive workspace to maintain office-level productivity during the WFH period.
“When working from home, I log in and out online, check in hourly, and use a virtual private network (VPN) for system access. Fieldwork and task assignments carry on unchanged,” she said.
The policy has been introduced as a strategic response to the global energy crisis linked to the West Asia conflict.
It applies to federal civil servants in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and state capitals, specifically those residing more than 8km from their workplace.
However, the arrangement excludes personnel in security, defence, health, and education sectors.
The scheduling of WFH days is also structured according to each state’s weekly rest day, with Tuesday to Thursday for states observing a Sunday weekend, and Monday to Wednesday for those with a Friday weekend.
Some officers said prior experience with remote working during the Covid-19 pandemic had helped ease the transition.
Among them was Mohd Azhari Othman, 51, a civil servant in Kedah, who noted that earlier WFH exposure had helped him adopt a more orderly routine and better daily planning.
Meanwhile, traffic flow between Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya remained generally smooth throughout the morning.
No major incidents or severe congestion were reported on key routes, including the Maju Expressway (MEX) and connecting highways such as the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP).
Real-time monitoring from traffic platforms, including Waze and local traffic portals, indicated no significant alerts or unusual congestion, with conditions remaining broadly consistent with normal weekday morning traffic patterns heading towards the federal administrative centre. - April 15, 2026
