Fuel is starting to feel like the center of everything again. Prices move, and suddenly food, transport, and daily expenses follow. That’s exactly the situation Indonesia is trying to stay ahead of right now. The government is looking at ways to cut fuel consumption before global pressure hits harder. One option currently under review is the implementation of a work from home policy.
The discussion didn’t come out of nowhere. Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia made it clear that, for now, Indonesia’s energy supply is still in a safe zone. Fuel, LPG, and electricity remain stable. All are within the required national stock levels. He even pointed out that new LPG shipments are expected by the end of the month. Coal supply for power plants sits at around 14 to 15 days on average. Still, stability doesn’t mean standing still.
Bahlil admitted that the government is actively reviewing ways to reduce fuel use. “We are still reviewing whether work from home is necessary. But in my view, all possibilities remain open. What matters is reducing fuel consumption. Besides cutting imports, this will also help reduce expenses for people across Indonesia,” he said at the ESDM office on March 17, 2026.
There’s also a slight sense of relief from the global side. Bahlil mentioned a shift in the situation around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has started to soften its stance on traffic in the area.
“This means ships from countries other than Israel and the United States can now begin communication. This is actually a positive development,” he explained.
Even so, the government is not taking chances. A few days earlier, during a plenary cabinet meeting on March 13, 2026, President Prabowo stressed how deeply fuel prices can ripple through the economy. Not just energy. Food too.
“We are facing global developments in Europe and the Middle East, and this will certainly affect us because it impacts fuel prices. Fuel prices also influence food prices. Thankfully, we have secured basic food needs. As for fuel, we already have plans and will accelerate them. But we must also take proactive steps. We need to reduce fuel consumption. We cannot assume we are safe without making any effort to cut usage. Many countries have already taken action,” he said.
That last point matters. Indonesia is not the only one dealing with this. Prabowo pointed to Pakistan as a real example. Not theory. Actual policies already in place.
“This is just for comparison. They consider the situation critical, so they call these critical measures,” he said.
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The steps taken there go quite far. Offices, both government and private, shifted to work from home for half of their employees. The workweek was cut down to four days.
“They even cut salaries for cabinet members and parliament members, and all those savings were collected to help the most vulnerable groups,” he added.
Fuel use itself was also restricted. Every ministry had its allocation reduced. On top of that, 60 percent of government vehicles were required to stay unused on a daily basis.
“They also stopped all purchases of air conditioners, vehicles, and furniture across government institutions for an unspecified period,” he said.
And it didn’t stop there. Official trips were reduced. Government-funded events were eliminated. Universities moved back to online learning.
For Indonesia, these are not decisions yet. They are references. Benchmarks to study.
Prabowo made that clear. The goal is not to copy, but to prepare.
“I believe we must make efforts to save. I am confident that within two to three years we will be very strong, but we must be efficient in our consumption. That way, we can ensure our deficit does not grow. In fact, my goal is for us to have no deficit at all,” he said.
At its core, this is about timing. Acting before pressure turns into crisis. The options are still open. Including something as simple, and as disruptive, as working from home again.
