LAST year, I wrote about how Kuala Lumpur was being held hostage by fallen trees, flooding, and – of course – the daily horror show we call “morning traffic”. I argued then that flexible work-from-home (WFH) and shift arrangements could be the way forward, pointing to how much fuel, time, and sanity we were losing just by sitting in traffic.
Fast forward to Thursday, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan – affectionately known as Tok Mat – has floated the idea of WFH and online learning (PdPR) during the upcoming Asean Summits.
Let’s be honest: it’s a bright idea that deserves more than just a polite golf clap. It should be shouted from the rooftops (or perhaps whispered quietly over Teams meetings).
Not only would this ease traffic congestion during major events, but if expanded more broadly, it could lead to year-round benefits. Less gridlock, cleaner air – and for regular Malaysians, a lot more money is left in their wallets at the end of the month.
A recap on some numbers: last year, it was reported that motorists in KL and Selangor burned an eye-watering RM6.8 billion worth of petrol a year just to sit in jams. That’s not a typo. That’s billions wasted, all while enduring in bumper-to-bumper hell.
Another study said Malaysians lose an average of 580 hours a year stuck in traffic – about two and a half hours a day that could be better spent doing something else.
And parking? Oh, boy. Some Malaysians fork out up to RM30 a day just to park their cars and reach their workplaces. That could add up to RM600 a month – the equivalent of a weekend getaway, two rounds of wholesome groceries, or not having to eat Maggi five nights in a row.
Did I mention tolls and servicing vehicle wear and tear? Those are also regular appearances on our credit card statements – the kind that silently drains your prospective savings while you sit motionless on Jalan Sultan Ismail.
With the government looking to rationalise fuel subsidies, reducing the daily commute is a no-brainer. Fewer trips mean less petrol used, less money spent, and crucially, fewer fumes belching into the city’s already overloaded lungs.
It’s a win for the environment, a win for household budgets, and a win for public health.
Speaking of health, WFH also means reduced stress, fewer trips to the doctor, and fewer days off for mental or physical burnout. That’s less pressure on our public healthcare system and private insurers, which are already stretched thin trying to keep up with urban life’s many ailments.
You might also be saving lives. Fewer vehicles on the road could mean fewer accidents – and fewer tragic headlines about fatalities caused by a moment’s lapse in traffic.
It’s not just about cost-saving, either. Flexible working arrangements could help tackle inflation pressures by giving Malaysians more breathing room in their budgets.
The less we spend on unnecessary commuting, the more we can channel into savings or supporting local businesses. Imagine a KL where traffic jams aren’t a twice-daily inevitability but a rarity. (I know – wild.)
Of course, as I wrote previously, WFH isn’t the magic bullet for everything. Not every job can be remote. But even hybrid models, or staggered work hours, could make a huge difference. Employers save on office overheads. Employees save on costs. The environment gets a much-needed breather.
It’s time we stopped thinking of WFH as an emergency response and started seeing it as common sense. Tok Mat’s proposal might have been sparked by a diplomatic traffic jam, but if the government is serious about cutting subsidies, reducing emissions, and helping Malaysians cope with rising costs, they should run with this idea all the way home – literally. – April 19, 2025
A. Azim Idris is a news editor at Scoop