KEPALA BATAS — The Education Ministry (MoE) is prepared to implement home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) arrangements during the Asean Summit in May and October to help ease traffic congestion.
Minister Fadhlina Sidek said MoE is in the process of identifying the affected schools.
“There is no issue. We are fully prepared to implement the approach and are committed to ensuring its success. The matter has already been thoroughly discussed within MoE,” Bernama reported her saying after attending a ceremony to mark the first day of students wearing the Jalur Gemilang badge on school uniforms at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Datuk Haji Ahmad Badawi here today.
Fadhlia was responding to a proposal by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to implement work-from-home and PdPR arrangements during the Asean Summit in May and in October – a proposal that will be brought to the Cabinet for consideration.
Mohamad said that the proposal stemmed from the challenges and inconveniences faced by the public – particularly in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya – due to road closures during the state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Malaysia.
The proposal for remote working and learning is also seen as a practical way to reduce gridlock and daily commuting costs, with motorists in the Klang Valley reportedly spending billions of ringgit annually just to sit in traffic.
A commentary published by Scoop noted that if the proposal were implemented more widely beyond major events, it could bring year-round benefits such as cleaner air, fewer road accidents, and increased household savings due to reduced fuel, toll, and parking expenses.
On April 17, Xi concluded a three-day official visit to Malaysia, during which there were multiple multiple road closures in the Klang Valley and Putrajaya for certain periods during the day, causing severe traffic congestion.
Among the affected roads were Lebuh KLIA, the North–South Expressway Central Link (ELITE), Putrajaya Ring Road, Putrajaya–Dengkil Expressway, Persiaran Selatan, Lebuh Gemilang, and Jalan P5.
The traffic chaos prompted many to voice their frustration on social media, with some claiming they were stuck in traffic for hours. There were however, others who said they understood the closures were necessary in Lin with security protocols for visiting heads of state. – April 21, 2025