TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Mayor of Depok, Nur Mahmudi Ismail, hailed Jakarta Governor Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo’s decision to prohibit civil servants from driving private vehicles.

“I am happy with the response from each region. I agree 100 percent with Mr. Jokowi’s policy because this is the first step in saving national energy,” Nur Mahmudi told Tempo on Thursday, January 2, 2014.

All civil servants in Jakarta were instructed not to use private vehicles today. They were obliged to use public transportation to go to work. The regulation is temporarily implemented every first Friday of every month.

Nur Mahmudi said Bekasi started the same move three months ago, while Depok started in June last year. “Bandung is currently ongoing, but they can only use bycicles,” he said.

With the policy, Jakarta will be able to save its energy consumption by five percent every month. By contrast, Depok saves 20 percent a month. “Jokowi [implements the policy] once a month, so it’s five percent because there are 20 working days,” he said.

The ‘a day without official cars’ policy every Tuesday in Depok is meant to support President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s policy of restricting subsidized fuel consumption. Nur Mahmudi said that the President asked the government not to use subsidized fuel.

ILHAM TIRTA