PM Anwar advises private companies to implement WFH arrangements to cope with fuel costs

Likely there will be a policy rolled out soon to ask civil servants to WFH gradually and selectively; however, the guidelines are not expected to apply to frontline services in either sector.

The Malaysian Government is stepping up efforts to ease the impact of rising fuel costs, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urging private companies to implement work-from-home (WFH) arrangements where possible.

This advice comes from the leader wanting to manage the impact of the Middle East conflict better.

He stated that measures around more flexible working rules, such as work from home arrangements (WFH, also known as bekerja dari rumah or BDR), are currently being considered, and will likely be rolled out for civil servants gradually and selectively.

He, thus, urged the private sector to follow suit, though implementation will remain voluntary, saying that these policies have been practiced by several companies, such as banks, for a while already.

However, in a previous statement, Communications Minister, Datuk Fahmi Fadzil had clarified that work-from-home arrangements, if implemented, will not include public frontline services, namely, healthcare, enforcement and education.

He had also shared on 18 March that the Chief Secretary of the Government (KSN) and the Public Service Department (KPPA) will present details of the working from home proposal at the National Economic Action Council meeting, as the current one does not involve critical sectors. 

Planning ahead, it is anticipated that guidelines for the public sector may be released soon.

Initiatives to curb the prices of fuel

The move comes amidst broader measures to manage fuel prices. Earlier, Prime Minister shared that the country will keep petrol prices at RM1.99 even as global oil prices surge, subjective to how the Middle East crisis unfolds.

In the latest update on 25 March, the Government announced various initiatives to curb the escalating prices of fuel and diesel. Prices for RON97, RON95 (without subsidy) and diesel have also been adjusted for the period of 26 March 2026 to 1 April 2026, alongside expanded coverage for public transport and land freight sectors to stabilise the cost of goods. 

Latest prices per litre of the fuel are shared below and in the image following:

• RON97: RM5.15 per litre (price on 25 March 2026: RM4.55 per litre)
• RON95 without subsidy: RM3.87 per litre (price on 25 March 2026: RM3.27 per litre)
• Subsidised RON96 (BUDI95): RM1.99 per litre (price 25 March 2026: RM1.99 per litre)
• Diesel for Pensinsula Malaysia: RM5.52 per litre (price 25 March 2026: RM4.72 per litre)
• Diesel for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan: RM2.15 per litre (price 25 March 2026: RM2.15 per litre)

Beyond the fuel price adjustments, other measures that have been implemented to address the tailback of the escalating prices. This includes:

1. Interim cash assistance for recipients of Individual BUDI Diesel and BUDI Diesel Agri-Commodity has been increased by RM100, making it RM300, effective 17 March 2026.
2. Monitoring and enforcement have been strengthened to ensure that fuel supplies remain stable and to curb subsidy leakage and abuse, including in border areas.
3. Sales controls have also been tightened, with the ban on the sale of RON95 to foreign-registered vehicles continuing to be in effect, while the purchase of fuel exceeding 20 litres outside of the tank without a special permit is also not permitted.

The Ministry of Finance shared that to ensure economic stability, the Government is "committed to continue to protect the people through proactive actions and comprehensive cooperation across ministries and agencies."

Further adjustments are expected, as PM Anwar announced that the price of the BUDI95 may be adjusted accordingly for every 200 litres monthly, based on oil supply and global economic developments due to the crisis, effective 1 April 2026.

He noted that 90% of Malaysians will not be affected by the temporary measure, given the that the average consumption of petrol is around 100 litres a month. 

Diesel purchase limits will also be standardised across Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan, with caps as follows: 

• Diesel for light vehicles (private, public and goods) will be capped at 50 litres per purchase.
• Diesel for public and goods land transport vehicles will be capped at 100 litres per purchase.
• Diesel for heavy vehicles (over three tonnes) will be capped at 150 litres per purchase.

Lead image / PM Anwar Facebook