“Thailand and Vietnam have already started directing people to work from home. What about Malaysia?”
A Malaysian has sparked discussion online after suggesting that certain industries in Malaysia consider working from home (WFH), following reports that Thailand and Vietnam have begun encouraging remote work arrangements.
In a post shared on social media, the user pointed out that some jobs — particularly those that are mainly done on laptops — could easily be carried out remotely without affecting productivity.
“Thailand and Vietnam have already started directing people to work from home. What about Malaysia?
“Before anyone starts criticising, please understand that there are certain industries that can actually work from home without affecting productivity — jobs that are mainly done on a laptop and don’t require physical presence. Not industries like F&B or logistics.
However, the user acknowledged that not all industries could adopt such arrangements.
“It’s not for industries like F&B or logistics,” they added.
The post also touched on the issue of fuel consumption, noting that Malaysia exports much of its oil.
According to the user, using more locally produced fuel could come with higher costs as Malaysia’s oil is considered high quality and therefore more expensive.
“Unless Malaysia is okay with using our own oil, which we export. If we sell it domestically, we might lose a bit because our oil is high quality and expensive — unless Malaysians are okay paying more,” the user wrote.
They also suggested that allowing more people to work remotely could help reduce traffic congestion.
The suggestion has since sparked conversations online, with many Malaysians agreeing to the work from home proposal.
One user pointed out that Malaysia already has policies allowing flexible work arrangements under employment law, but said the challenge often lies with employers.
“Actually Malaysians already have policies for WFH or flexible work arrangements under amendments to the Employment Act. The issue is that some employers are still hesitant to allow it,” the user wrote.
“For me, there’s no problem because my employer allows us to come into the office three times a week without needing to request it under the wellbeing policy. Usually companies with good governance already plan these things without employees having to ask.”
Another netizen agreed that many roles could realistically be done remotely.
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The Sun Malaysia
