South Sulawesi Governor Cancels Eid Open House 2026, Prioritises Family Togetherness
In departing from the traditional silaturahmi (fellowship) tradition commonly marked by official open house events, South Sulawesi Governor Andi Sudirman Sulaiman has decided to take a different approach during the Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah celebrations this year.
He has ensured that no open house will be held at the governor’s official residence, instead providing greater opportunity for the public and his staff to spend quality time with their families. The decision was announced directly by Andi Sudirman during the launch of a free mudik (homecoming) programme in the Center Point of Indonesia (CPI) area in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
He also emphasised that the governor’s official residence is fundamentally a house of the people that is always open, so there is no need for a special occasion that could compromise family togetherness time. “I want to convey that in South Sulawesi Province this year there will be no open house event. The governor’s house is always open to the public, so I have faith in the people—it is better to focus on opening the doors of our own homes to family and neighbours,” Sudirman said.
The mudik policy extends beyond the governor himself to State Civil Apparatus (ASN) personnel throughout the South Sulawesi provincial government. Sudirman has granted exceptional flexibility, allowing all staff, from agency heads to clerical workers, to use the Eid holiday period to return to their hometowns. “My agency heads especially—I see many of them want to go home to their villages. Please do so, make use of this holiday until 29 March. After that, we will then schedule internal social events to reunite our energy after Eid,” he explained.
This step is taken as a form of appreciation whilst ensuring that civil servants can celebrate the occasion together with their families, except for those still on duty in public service sectors who must remain on standby.
Sudirman is also preparing a flexible working scheme for the post-Eid period. This Work From Anywhere (WFA) policy is designed to enhance ASN work quality with better work-life balance. “We have already begun designing a new working pattern, namely WFA. The concept involves working three days in the office and two days working from other locations that support productivity,” Sudirman explained.
However, he stressed that this modern policy still awaits formal direction from the central government, in line with the instructions on efficiency and bureaucratic transformation championed by the President. “This is part of our adaptation efforts. Of course, we will adjust once there is an official letter from the President. What is clear is that we want ASN in South Sulawesi to remain productive, but also have time for family,” he concluded.