JAKARTA - Indonesia will require civil servants in central and regional government institutions to work from home one day a week, every Friday, starting April 1, as part of a national energy-saving push. The policy will be evaluated after two months.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced the policy during a virtual press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, March 31. He said that the implementation of work-from-home for civil servants at both central and regional government institutions is set at one working day per week, specifically every Friday.

The government is also encouraging private companies to adopt WFH arrangements, though not mandating them, and will issue technical guidance through a circular from the Minister of Manpower. 

Several sectors are exempt, including healthcare, security, sanitation, and strategic industries such as energy, water, food and beverages, trade, transport, logistics, and finance. “[The plan] is to reduce official vehicles and [increase] the use of public transportation as much as possible,” said Airlangga. 

Indonesia plans to cut official vehicle use by 50% and reduce domestic and international official travel. The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs estimates the measures could save Rp6.2 trillion in fuel compensation and up to Rp59 trillion in overall fuel consumption.

“Work flexibility should not diminish civil servant discipline and performance,” said Rini Widyantini, Indonesia’s Minister of State Apparatus and Bureaucratic Reform, during the online meeting. “With this adjustment to work patterns, oversight must be even stricter. Civil servant performance must remain measurable, accountable, and output-based.”

Fuel prices for subsidized Pertalite and Solar remained unchanged on April 1, with Pertalite at Rp10,000 per liter and Solar at Rp6,800 per liter.

“To ensure fuel distribution, the government will regulate purchasing using the MyPertamina barcode, with a reasonable limit of 50 liters per vehicle. However, this does not apply to public transportation,” Airlangga said.

Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia clarified the cap excludes trucks and buses, noting, “In our view, as former public transportation drivers, it's reasonable and wise to fill a car with 50 liters per day. That’s a full tank in one day.”