Kuala lumpur: The government is encouraging civil servants to wear batik attire daily as an alternative to office wear, following a move to standardise air-conditioning temperatures to a minimum of 24 degrees Celsius to conserve energy.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz stated that the directive aligns with the Human Resource Service Circular (MyPPSM) Section UP.7.2.3 on Dress and Appearance Etiquette for Civil Servants. The circular specifies that wearing batik attire is mandatory every Thursday and encouraged on all working days as an alternative to traditional office wear for both male and female officers.

The directive, communicated through a circular issued to ministry secretaries-general and state secretaries, was also shared on the Public Service Department's Facebook page. Furthermore, department heads have the discretion to permit officers to wear corporate or fieldwork attire on certain days for specific purposes, as outlined in paragraph 13 of Section UP.7.2.3. Officers may wear corporate attire daily except on Thursdays, unless they are required to wear uniforms.

The initiative follows an earlier announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof regarding stricter energy management in government buildings, which includes setting air-conditioning temperatures to a minimum of 24 degrees Celsius. This measure underscores the government's commitment to prudent energy use and addressing the global energy crisis through proactive measures.