Regime employees began remote work on Wednesday, following the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) order for regime staff to work from home every Wednesday beginning on March 25.
“I don’t have to spend hours queuing for fuel,” a regime employee in the capital Naypyidaw told DVB on the condition of anonymity, adding that he uses a motorcycle to commute to his office every weekday.
Regime employees told DVB that those staying in staff housing are provided with transportation to their offices, while those living at home must arrange their own.
An employee at the regime’s Ministry of Immigration and Population in Naypyidaw told DVB on the condition of anonymity that working from home is “difficult” due to the “unpredictable power outages and poor internet connectivity.”
A member of the regime’s General Administration Department (GAD) told DVB on the condition of anonymity that sharing sensitive information online among staff members may lead to security breaches.
He added that similar breaches occurred when his colleagues worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. Ministry documents are not digitized, so staff must go to the office when they require official seals from management.
The work-from-home order is the regime’s latest attempt to conserve fuel due to rising global prices following the start of the war in Iran, which began with American and Israeli attacks on Tehran on Feb. 28.
On March 22, the NDSC restricted vehicle owners from purchasing fuel from once every 24 hours to once or twice a week, depending on engine power to “prepare for future energy challenges.”
This took effect in Naypyidaw, Yangon, Mandalay and the Shan State capital Taunggyi on March 23, and will soon extend to other regions of Myanmar.
One litre of 92-octane gasoline rose from 2,830 to 3,610 MMK ($0.60-0.80 USD) with 95-octane gasoline from 2,930 to 3,850 MMK ($0.60-0.90 USD).
Diesel rose from 3,205 to 4,390 MMK ($0.70-1 USD) with premium diesel going up from 3,560 to 4,820 MMK ($0.80-1.1 USD) since March 13, according to the regime-controlled Petroleum Products Regulatory Department’s reference rates on March 25.
The NDSC claimed on March 22 that Myanmar has a 50-day fuel reserve rather than the 40-day reserve it stated on March 4.
