KUALA LUMPUR (March 26): Malaysia will adopt more flexible work arrangements, including work-from-home options for public servants, amid a global scramble to respond to fuel shortages triggered by the US-Iran conflict.

The work-from-home option for civil servants will be implemented on a phased and selective basis, with details to be announced in the near future.

“We also encourage the private sector to adopt similar practices, as some companies and banks have already done,” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said during a special address to the nation on Thursday.

Asia is facing the brunt of the fuel crisis, as the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and a conduit for one-fifth of the world’s crude oil — has been nearly shut down by Iran since the conflict broke out on Feb 28.

Some countries have introduced measures to cope with the crisis. The Philippines, for example, shortened the work week in some government offices earlier this month and declared a state of national energy emergency, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr warning that the conflict poses an “imminent danger” to the country’s energy supply.

Anwar, in his addresss, urged Malaysians in both the public and private sectors to work diligently and seize opportunities to strengthen the country’s economic capacity amid ongoing global challenges.

He said the government will continue to maintain discipline, prevent wastage and leakages, and ensure that Malaysia’s economic growth momentum remains strong.

The prime minister also noted that despite global economic downturns, Malaysia continues to attract investment and remains an active hub for business.