Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Mall business owners have spoken out on the\ngovernment\u2019s plan to implement a work-from-home (WFH) policy once a\nweek. This proposal has elicited a cool response from business owners\nand labour unions alike.<\/p>\n
However, mall entrepreneurs have offered a different perspective.\nMalls operate in the trade and services sector, which requires employees\nto be on-site and interact directly with consumers.<\/p>\n
The General Chairman of the Indonesian Mall Managers Association\n(APPBI), Alphonzus Widjaja, supports the government\u2019s step to implement\nWFH. However, there is a condition for malls to survive amid this\npolicy: the provision of incentives to boost domestic consumption.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe WFH programme, intended as one strategy for energy conservation,\nwill certainly be beneficial amid threats of shortages and high energy\nprices, particularly petroleum fuel. However, the WFH programme should\nbe accompanied by various stimulus or incentive programmes, especially\nto boost domestic consumption, which is also one way to minimise\ndependence on uncertain global conditions and situations,\u201d Alphonzus\nsaid when contacted by CNBC Indonesia on Monday (30\/3\/2026).<\/p>\n
He added that to minimise the impact of the Middle East conflict, the\ngovernment should prioritise domestic trade to avoid over-reliance on\nglobal situations and conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government should prioritise domestic trade so as not to be too\ndependent on the impacts of global situations and conditions, as we did\nduring the Covid-19 pandemic,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Alphonzus noted that during Covid-19, Indonesia\u2019s economy was\nrelatively better than many other countries due to relatively strong\ndomestic trade.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring Covid-19, Indonesia\u2019s economic condition was relatively\nbetter than many other countries due to relatively strong domestic trade\nwith a large domestic market, namely Indonesia\u2019s population of more than\n280 million people,\u201d he clarified.<\/p>\n
Previously, the government proposed a WFH policy of one day per week\nto save on fuel consumption amid global turmoil. This WFH implementation\nplan was discussed in an online meeting led by Coordinating Minister\nAirlangga yesterday.<\/p>\n
The announcement of the WFH policy for Civil Servants (ASN) or Civil\nServants (PNS) and encouragement for private sector employees will be\nmade shortly.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto revealed\nthat the announcement will be made before the end of March 2026, with\nonly one day remaining.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be decided this month,\u201d Airlangga said at the Presidential\nPalace Complex in Jakarta on Friday (27\/3\/2026).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Tito Karnavian stated that the\none-day-per-week work-from-home (WFH) policy is scheduled to be\nannounced by the government on Tuesday (31\/3\/2026) today.<\/p>\n
However, details of the timing were not explained by the Interior\nMinister, as they did not want to preempt the announcement of the WFH\nday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hear it might be officially announced tomorrow, so I don\u2019t want to\npreempt it,\u201d Tito said when met by reporters after a working meeting\nwith Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives on Monday\n(30\/3\/2026).<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mall-business-owners-give-unexpected-response-to-weekly-wfh-plan-1774943667", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }