Anticipating ASN Absence After Eid Holiday, Ombudsman: Strict Sanctions Must Be Prepared

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – To ease the density of the return flow, the government has extended the implementation of flexible working arrangements for state civil servants until April 8, 2025. The policy seems to extend the Eid holiday for employees. Strict sanctions must be prepared to prevent employees from playing truant on the first day of work.

The extension of the flexible work arrangement period is outlined in Circular Letter of the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (Menpan and RB) Number 3 of 2025. The letter was signed by Menpan and RB Rini Widyantini on Friday (4/4/2025). The decision to extend the remote work mechanism was made after receiving input from the Ministry of Transportation.

"We want to ensure that public services continue to operate and that community mobility during the return flow remains safe and comfortable. The adjustment in task implementation is carried out by considering flexibility while ensuring the quality of services is maintained," said Rini in her written statement.

Regarding the regulation of flexible work arrangements, the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (Kemenpan and RB) had previously issued Circular Letter No. 2 of 2025. In the circular, the work-from-anywhere (WFA) or work-from-home (WFH) system for civil servants (ASN) was implemented starting four days before the national holiday and collective leave for the Holy Day of Nyepi 1947 and Eid al-Fitr 1446 H, specifically from March 24, 2025, to March 27, 2025.

Through the latest circular letter, namely SE Menpan and RB Number 3 of 2025, an additional day has been added, which falls on April 8, 2025. Initially, this date was set as the first day of returning to work after civil servants had taken collective leave from April 2, 2025, to April 7, 2025.

Rini emphasized that adjustments to work mechanisms must take into account accountability and measurable performance. Public services must not be disrupted. Therefore, public service facilities that directly interact with the community are requested to remain operational.

Thus, Rini explained, institutions must provide adequate service personnel accompanied by information technology-based support systems. Equally important, she stated, is the collaboration among institution leaders while carrying out their duties during the return flow period.

"Public service is the face of the government. The return flow period is a tangible manifestation of how we can maintain its quality while still providing space for civil servants to perform their duties adaptively, just as the outbound flow can be managed well," said Rini.

Contacted separately, member of the Indonesian Ombudsman Robert Na Endi Jaweng emphasized that the policy of extending the flexible work mechanism must be in accordance with the initial objective. There should be no ASN who abuses the implementation of the rule by deliberately playing truant on the first day of work, which will fall on April 8, 2025.

"The purpose of flexible work arrangements is to regulate travel to and from work. This means that if there are still those who are absent or absent, it means that this government goal has not been achieved," said Robert, Saturday (5/4/2025).

According to Robert, employees should feel satisfied with the holidays given. Moreover, the adjustment of remote work has been given since before the Eid holiday. If calculated, there are 15 days off during the Eid al-Fitr and Nyepi celebrations this year.

Then, said Robert, strict action is needed to reduce the potential for cases of employees truant. In order to enforce the regulations, he said, examples must also be given by each head of the institution as the leader of the employees.

"We hope that the heads of agencies, heads of services, regents, governors, ministers, and so on must carry out inspections and take firm action. Because, it must be admitted, this holiday and WFH are quite long," said Robert.

On the other hand, Robert said, the interests of the community should not be sacrificed due to the implementation of the FWA policy. Agencies or institutions are required to implement certain arrangements so that public services can still be accessed. Especially services that are in direct contact with the community.

Digital services, Robert continued, can indeed be a service option. However, not all people are digitally literate. Some people still need the old ways of coming directly to the offices of agencies or institutions to take care of their needs.

"Not all of them are totally WFH (working from home). There are some who have to do picket. Like us (ORI), we still open the complaint service counter for the public," said Robert.

Previously, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya Sugiarto expressed similar things. Some agencies also implement a picket system. It aims to ensure that public services are still provided optimally even though there are a number of employees who are absent during the Eid holiday.

"Don't think that this holiday is all holidays, no. The government has a shift system, so everyone has a duty," said Bima, on the sidelines of his visit to the Eid al-Fitr open house, at the residence of the Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Ahmad Muzani, Jakarta, Wednesday (2/4/2025).

Bima Arya also reminded all ASN to be able to adjust their work rhythm again after the long holiday. Regarding employee discipline, he will highlight it on the first day of work. Moreover, on the first day, there will be a halalbihalal for employees in each agency. This moment is also used as an opportunity to check the readiness of employees to carry out their duties.

In addition, Bima Arya also appreciated the smooth flow of homecoming this year. Traffic congestion, he claimed, was successfully resolved, one of which was thanks to the implementation of the work-from-anywhere policy. Coordination between the local government and the police was also considered to have helped smooth traffic during the homecoming flow.

"Regional heads also do a good job in coordinating. So we appreciate it," said Bima Arya.