Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu'ti urged students to walk or cycle if their homes are near school to support the energy efficiency program promoted by President Prabowo Subianto.

He noted that the cycling habit widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic is a positive practice worth continuing, especially amid the current oil crisis triggered by conflicts in Middle Eastern Gulf countries.

“For example, if students live close to school and the route is safe and comfortable, there is no harm in walking or returning to the cycling habits from the COVID period. It is healthy, saves energy, and is environmentally friendly,” Mu'ti said here on Monday.

He also encouraged schools to promote waste recycling activities with students so that school waste can be processed into environmentally friendly energy sources.

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Moreover, he called on regional governments to improve public transportation services in their areas, allowing students to use mass transit as a safe and practical way to reach school.

He explained that many students currently use motorcycles due to limited public transportation coverage in their neighborhoods.

“Currently, some students prefer motorcycles over public transit. If safe and comfortable public transportation is available, students can use it to go to school. This saves energy and reduces pollution, which is a challenge for local governments,” he said.

Earlier, on Thursday (March 19), Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya explained that President Prabowo instructed ministers to target energy efficiency implementation in specific sectors to ensure the policy is effective.

During a limited meeting, the president had received reports from several ministers on measures to maintain national energy resilience, especially amid the Middle East oil crisis.

“President Prabowo discussed strategic steps for energy-saving plans across sectors in response to political dynamics that may affect global energy supply and prices,” Wijaya said.

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