Fuel-Saving Measure: Indonesia's Neighbour Declares Every Wednesday a Holiday
Sri Lanka has designated every Wednesday as a holiday for public institutions to save fuel oil. The reason is that the island nation is grappling with the possibility of fuel shortages due to the war between the United States (US) and Israel with Iran.
“We must prepare for the worst but hope for the best,” said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in an emergency meeting with senior officials, as reported by the BBC on Wednesday (18/3/2026).
This policy is the latest in a series of conservation measures taken by several Asian countries since the war closed the Strait of Hormuz, which previously transported millions of barrels of oil from the Gulf to the region.
Nearly 90% of all oil and gas flowing through the strait last year was destined for Asia, the world’s largest oil-importing region. Elsewhere in Asia, authorities have implemented various conservation measures.
In Thailand, for example, the government is urging the public to replace suits with short-sleeved T-shirts to reduce reliance on air conditioning, while in Myanmar, private vehicles are only allowed to operate on alternate days depending on their licence plate numbers.
Bangladesh has brought forward Ramadan holidays at universities and introduced nationwide scheduled power cuts to save energy.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, some government offices have mandated staff to work from home at least one day a week, while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has banned non-essential travel in the public sector.
Marcos also announced cash assistance for rickshaw drivers, farmers, and fishermen to help them cope with rising oil prices, ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 pesos.
Furthermore, Vietnam is encouraging its citizens to stay at home more to save fuel. The government is also calling on the public to “cycle, share rides, use public transport,” and “limit the use of private vehicles if not necessary.”
Returning to Sri Lanka, the new four-day workweek will also apply to schools and universities, but will not affect state institutions providing essential services, such as health and immigration authorities, officials said.
The authorities chose Wednesday, not Friday, as the additional holiday so that government offices do not close for three consecutive days, they added.
Drivers are now required to register for a National Fuel Card that limits the amount of fuel the public can purchase. This has sparked dissatisfaction among some Sri Lankan citizens who feel that the fuel quotas—15 litres for private cars and five litres for motorcycles—are too low.
The rationing mechanism was first implemented in 2022 during the country’s worst economic crisis, which caused it to run out of foreign exchange reserves and be unable to import essential goods and purchase sufficient fuel.
Oil prices have surged since the US and Israel began bombing Iran last month, and are currently around $100 per barrel.