The government announced the flexible work-from-home (WFH) arrangements for civil servants during the ASEAN Summit later this month is expected to ease city congestion while potentially prompting private companies to reassess their work policies.
Image credit: Bernama
Reducing congestion during major road closures
The Public Service Department (PSD) announced that heads of departments (HODs) are authorized to approve the civil servants’ WFH requests, who are living within a 25-kilometre radius of their offices. The move comes as part of efforts to manage the significant traffic disruption expected from October 26 to 28, when several major roads in Kuala Lumpur will be closed in stages for the summit.
According to the Kuala Lumpur Command and Control Centre (KLC3)’s announcement, the affected routes include:
- Main roads:
- Areas around Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)
- Jalan Ampang
- Jalan Sultan Ismail
- Jalan P. Ramlee
- Jalan Pinang
- Jalan Binjai
- Persiaran KLCC
- Jalan Tun Razak
- Jalan Parlimen
- Jalan Bukit Bintang
- Jalan Imbi
- Jalan Damansara
- Jalan Istana
- Jalan Kuching
- Jalan Perak
- Strategic intersections:
- Jalan Ampang–Jalan P. Ramlee
- Jalan Sultan Ismail–Jalan P. Ramlee
- Jalan Perak–Jalan P. Ramlee
- Jalan Perak–Jalan Pinang
- Jalan Stonor–Jalan Kia Peng
- Jalan Stonor–Persiaran KLCC
- Routes from:
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Subang to the City Centre
- Putrajaya Ring Road
- KLIA Highway
- Major expressways:
- Maju Expressway (MEX), North-South Expressway (PLUS) from Sungai Buloh to Jalan Duta, Elite Expressway (KLIA–Putrajaya)
- New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) from Subang to Jalan Duta
- Guthrie Corridor Expressway (Guthrie)
- KL–Seremban Expressway (Sungai Besi–City Centre)
Image credit: Choo Choy May
Private sector encouraged to reevaluate work flexibility
Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman stated the move could encourage private companies to reassess its own flexible work policies. However, he noted that any such adoption should remain the voluntary and productivity-driven, depending on the nature of each business.
According to Bernama, “flexible work arrangements should be a management prerogative based on operational feasibility,” he stated.
This noted that the industries like manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and construction require on-site presence, while knowledge-based sectors may benefit more from hybrid setups. He added that implementing flexibility requires clear performance frameworks, as poorly structured systems could risk reduced productivity and weakened team cohesion.
Malaysia prepares to host ASEAN 2025 closing summit
The 47th ASEAN Summit, held from October 26 to 28, marks the conclusion of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship for 2025 and will gather leaders from all 10 member states along with invited global partners, including US president Donald Trump.
The public can stay informed by visiting ASEAN 2025 portal or Aseanmy Facebook page for latest updates.
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