PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim has urged civil servants to inculcate a culture of saving electricity and avoiding wastage.

“We always see wastage as a big picture, but we forget how we use electricity in our offices. We have to improve this as these (costs are borne by) public funds.

“I hope we can start making it a culture because if we can practise (power-)saving measures, a lot can be done,” said Anwar, who is also finance minister, at the monthly assembly with Prime Minister’s Department staff in Putrajaya today.

Anwar said when he was the finance minister in the 1990s, he emphasised saving energy in his office.

“During my time at the Finance Ministry on Jalan Duta, I remember when we had our assembly outdoors, and we would see which buildings still had their lights on.

“I would ask the head of the department to turn off the lights. (I said to them) you are out for an hour, so why must the lights be on? It’s not your money, it’s public funds,” he said. – Bernama, October 16, 2023.