The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) urges caution over calls to implement work-from- home (WFH) arrangements for public sector employees as a measure to conserve energy and reduce fuel consumption during the current oil shock.

While ACCCIM acknowledges the Government’s intention to ease commuting pressures and reduce fuel usage, it stresses that any WFH policy must be practical, targeted and must not compromise service delivery or disrupt business operations, particularly in the current uncertain economic environment.

ACCCIM concurs with the Chief Secretary to the Government’s reminder that public servants must maintain high levels of productivity, discipline and efficiency under WFH arrangements. Ensuring consistent, responsive and efficient public service delivery remains critical, especially as businesses continue to rely heavily on government agencies.

From the business perspective, a broad-based or blanket WFH implementation may lead to operational disruptions. Many businesses— especially SMEs—depend on timely approvals, licensing, customs clearance, inspections and regulatory processes. Any delays or inefficiencies could increase costs, disrupt operations and weaken competitiveness.

It is therefore imperative that government officers remain fully contactable and responsive at all times, with full system accessibility ensured. WFH arrangements must not result in delays or deferment in approvals, processes or decision-making, which would further exacerbate the challenges currently faced by the business community.

In this regard, ACCCIM strongly urges the Government to adopt a targeted and selective approach. WFH should not apply to:

• Critical public services
• Customer-facing departments
• Key business interface agencies, including licensing, trade facilitation and enforcement bodies

Maintaining full operational capacity in these areas is essential to ensure efficient, responsive and business-friendly public service delivery.

At the same time, ACCCIM supports WFH implementation for non-critical and back-end functions where remote work can be effectively carried out. A hybrid approach would allow the Government to achieve energy-saving objectives without undermining economic activity.

Alternatively, greater flexibility such as staggered working hours may be considered to reduce peak-hour congestion and fuel consumption, while preserving operational efficiency.

总结而言，中总强调，当前政策必须在节约能源与维持商业持续性之间取得审慎平衡。只有经过精细校准且务实的政策，才能确保公共部门效率与私人界生产力同时不受损害。