Get Ready! Government to Mandate One Day of WFH Per Week to Save on Fuel

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto is preparing anticipatory measures to address global energy supply uncertainties. One of them is promoting an energy-saving policy amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

This was discussed in a meeting between the President and several ministers of the Red and White Cabinet at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Thursday (19/3/2026).

“President Prabowo Subianto received several ministers of the Red and White Cabinet at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Thursday, 19 March 2026,” wrote @sekretariat.kabinet.

Based on an official statement from the Cabinet Secretariat, the meeting specifically addressed the government’s strategic steps in responding to global dynamics that could disrupt energy supply stability and prices.

In the meeting, Prabowo emphasised the importance of cross-sector energy efficiency measures to maintain national energy resilience.

“The President has instructed that efficiency be focused on several specific sectors to maintain domestic energy stability and resilience,” added the Cabinet Secretariat.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto stated that the government is finalising a work-from-home (WFH) policy for one day per week as an efficiency measure amid global pressures, particularly due to the Middle East conflict driving up world oil prices.

He said the scheme is designed to reduce fuel oil (BBM) consumption, which has been heavily absorbed by daily societal mobility. He noted that the potential savings are quite significant.

“Because of that, there are savings in terms of what, the use of mobility from petrol, the savings are quite significant, one-fifth, one-fifth of what we usually spend,” said Airlangga after the meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, as reported by Detik.com on Thursday (19/3/2026).

This step is part of the government’s strategy to mitigate external impacts on the domestic economy, particularly in terms of energy and logistics costs, without immediately resorting to more extreme policies.

The policy is planned to apply not only to civil servants (ASN) but is also expected to be followed by the private sector and regional governments. The government is currently preparing the technical details of its implementation to ensure it runs effectively without disrupting work productivity.

“Well, the technicalities are being prepared, because this is expected not only for ASN but also for the private sector and regional governments,” he said.

The plan to implement WFH one day in five working days will begin after the 2026 Eid al-Fitr period. However, the government has not yet set a definite implementation date as it awaits finalisation of the policy concept.

“Post-Eid, but we will determine the timing later,” said Airlangga.