Interior Minister states WFH policy to be announced tomorrow

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Interior Minister (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian stated that certainty regarding the working from home (WFH) policy as part of energy-saving efforts amid global dynamics will be announced on Tuesday (31/3). “Just be patient, I’ve heard it’s very likely, possibly, yes, to be officially conveyed tomorrow. So, I don’t want to preempt it,” Tito said when asked about the progress of the policy in the parliamentary complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday. Tito declined to provide further leaks on the WFH policy. However, he assured that the Ministry of Home Affairs will later issue more detailed appeals to regional governments (pemda). “Yes, there will definitely be (appeals to pemda),” he said. Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto had previously assured that the government would soon announce the WFH policy before the end of March. “It will be announced (the WFH policy) before the end of the month (March),” Airlangga said when met at his office in Jakarta on Friday (27/3). The policy was initiated as a step to curb fuel oil (BBM) consumption amid global energy price pressures. The WFH scheme, Airlangga explained, is planned to apply for one day per week to civil servants (ASN), including civil servants (PNS) and government employees with work agreements (PPPK). Meanwhile, for the private sector, the policy will be in the form of an appeal. On the other hand, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa assessed that this policy will not disrupt national economic productivity and even has the potential to provide energy usage efficiency. According to Purbaya, from both fiscal and economic activity perspectives, the WFH policy will not have a significant impact on national productivity if implemented selectively. “No (it won’t disrupt), if we choose carefully. If we choose Friday, there will definitely be savings on BBM by a certain percentage, I don’t know the details because it can vary depending on oil prices,” he said when met in the Presidential Palace complex, Jakarta, on Friday (27/3). The Finance Minister explained that strategic sectors such as manufacturing industries and public services will continue to operate normally because not all types of work can be done remotely. In addition, the implementation of WFH is seen as potentially curbing fuel oil consumption due to reduced societal mobility, although the amount of savings still depends on oil prices.