Ministry of Culture Mandates Weekly WFH to Combat Global Energy Crisis

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, has officially ordered a transition to a "flexible working" model. Starting April 1, 2026, employees within the Ministry of Culture will work from home (WFH) one day per week, a policy designed to drastically cut energy consumption without compromising public service.

The initiative follows a direct mandate from President Prabowo Subianto, who has urged all government branches to tighten their belts as international energy markets face unprecedented scarcity. Far from a mere administrative change, the Minister framed the policy as a shift toward a more modern, digital-first bureaucracy.

“The output of services, whether online or offline, must meet the same standard. So, it does not reduce service quality, and it encourages the implementation of SPBE, the Electronic-Based Government System,” said Minister Fadli Zon in a press release received in Jakarta on Thursday, March 26, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The Minister emphasized that the current global climate requires a "sense of emergency" among civil servants. He urged his staff to view these efficiency measures not simply as budget cuts, but as a proactive defense against global instability.

"We must be prepared for efficiency. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst," he remarked during a virtual meeting with ministry officials on Wednesday.

Beyond the work-from-home mandate, the Ministry is also implementing strict limits on the use of electronic devices and official departmental vehicles. The goal is to reallocate funds saved from routine operational costs into grassroots cultural preservation programs that directly benefit the public.

He expressed his hope that by reducing the Ministry's overhead, the government can better support the nation's artistic heritage. “My hope for everyone implementing this program is that it must be as efficient as possible and have a real impact, especially in building our cultural ecosystem,” he concluded.

The policy is officially codified in the Circular Letter of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture Number 5/ 2026, which outlines the flexible working arrangements aimed at achieving national energy efficiency targets. ***