“Workers must comply with established rules and procedures, maintaining output and productivity at the same level as in-office work, if not higher,” Bernama reported him as saying in Shah Alam today.

Those allowed to WFH are required to log into an online monitoring system every hour and record attendance via geolocation on their devices at home.

Shamsul also called on government departments to exercise prudence and avoid wastage in the office.

“Switch off lights and fans that are not in use. Air-conditioning should be set at an appropriate temperature. Meetings can be conducted online to reduce travel costs and paper usage.

“Unless absolutely necessary, refrain from purchasing luxury assets for office use, except for reasons of safety or public interest,” he said, adding that the government is also reducing official overseas visits to minimise costs.

According to a government circular issued yesterday, civil servants living more than 8km away from their offices will be allowed to work from home for three days a week, effective April 15.

Public service director-general Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said this applies only to civil servants in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Selangor and the capital cities of other states.

Civil servants in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu may work from home from Monday to Wednesday, while those in other states can do so from Tuesday to Thursday.