Saving Fuel Amid WFH Discussions, Mataram City Government Considers Cycling to Office Policy
The Mataram City Government (Pemkot) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) is currently reviewing the use of pedal bicycles or cycling to the office as part of efforts to save fuel oil (BBM) amid the global geopolitical situation. This was stated by the Secretary of the Regional Government (Sekda) of Mataram City, Lalu Alwan Basri.
Alwan said that the policy is still awaiting technical instructions from the central government, particularly regarding the work-from-home (WFH) plan.
“We are reviewing (the WFH from the centre), we are waiting for the SOP,” said Alwan on Wednesday (25/3/2026).
He explained that the characteristics of Mataram City, which has relatively close distances between government offices, are deemed supportive of implementing bicycles as an official mode of transport, especially for officials.
“Cycling, but (its use) on certain days. Once we have the WFH decision from the central government, the Mayor has just made a policy. He conveyed the policy that officials, especially echelon 2, 3, 4, will cycle from home to the office,” he said.
The Mataram City Government is also still calculating the travel radius that would allow for the implementation of the policy, adjusting it to the WFH policy if it is officially enforced. “Later we will look at the radius, during WFH,” he clarified.
On the other hand, Alwan mentioned that this year’s fuel oil (BBM) budget has been cut by around 50 percent compared to the previous year. Efficiency measures have also been applied to other expenditures such as office stationery (ATK).
“The BBM expenditure from the pure budget has been cut in half this year. There is BBM, ATK, and others. The use of bicycles is almost fixed at 90 percent to be implemented, this is the Mayor’s policy. Bicycles are more economical, and they can also reduce traffic congestion,” he emphasised.
Previously, the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian stated that several coordinating ministers and technical ministers have agreed on the plan to implement work-from-home (WFH) one day per week. This policy is being prepared as part of measures to save fuel oil (BBM).
According to detikNews, the decision is still awaiting a report to President Prabowo Subianto before being officially announced to the public.
Tito explained that the agreement was reached in an inter-ministerial meeting involving Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Pratikno, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto, Cabinet Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, and Deputy Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya. The meeting, which lasted several hours, discussed various government strategies in anticipating potential global crises due to conflicts in the Middle East.
“The meeting yesterday lasted almost 3 or 4 hours. Yes, but we agreed to speak with one voice, meaning who will convey it, I don’t know, (the meeting) at the Palace. Whether by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, or perhaps by the Cabinet Secretary (who will announce it). So, we only provide inputs, but I am not authorised to convey it to the public,” said Tito after the PHTC update press conference at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta, on Wednesday (25/3/2026).