Living In Indonesia Living in Indonesia Guides for foreign residents in Indonesia since 2007

Acronyms & Abbreviations

Indonesians run on abbreviations. The mass media deploy them on first reference with no explanation — you are simply expected to know. Most dictionaries will not help, and many Indonesians have long forgotten what the letters actually stand for whilst knowing exactly what they mean. Ask anyone what SARA stands for: they will tell you it means you do not publicly stir up ethnicity or religion, then stall somewhere after suku and agama.

This is a curated working list — the acronyms a foreign resident genuinely meets in the newspapers, at the immigration counter, on official forms and in daily conversation. The hundreds of defunct New Order committees and dead sports federations that clogged the old version are gone. A handful of dead terms are kept on purpose, marked Historical, because you still meet them in older documents and need to decode them. Where a term has been superseded, both the old and the current name are given.

Terminology in the visa, work-permit and company-formation fields changes constantly, so treat those entries as orientation, not as the last word. For anything touching immigration, visas or work permits, the authoritative reference is Okusi Associates' immigration guide.

A

  • ABRI Historical. The former name of the armed forces. Since 1999 the military is the TNI and the police the separate POLRI; the old dual-function (dwifungsi) doctrine is gone.
  • APBN The national state budget (Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Negara).
  • Apindo The Indonesian Employers Association.
  • ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
  • Askes Historical. The old state health insurer, folded into BPJS Kesehatan in 2014.
  • Astek / Jamsostek Historical. Workplace social insurance, replaced by BPJS Ketenagakerjaan from 2015.

B

  • Bapepam Historical. The old capital-market regulator; its functions passed to the OJK at the end of 2012.
  • Bappenas The National Development Planning Agency.
  • BBM Fuel (Bahan Bakar Minyak), the standard term for petrol and diesel, subsidised and otherwise.
  • BI Bank Indonesia, the central bank, responsible for monetary policy and the payment system.
  • BKPM The Investment Coordinating Board (Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal). Since the October 2024 cabinet reshuffle it is fused with its parent ministry, the Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming (Kementerian Investasi dan Hilirisasi); one official serves as both Minister of Investment and Downstreaming and Head of BKPM. It runs investment approvals and the OSS licensing system.
  • BPJS Kesehatan The mandatory national health-insurance body. Foreign nationals working in Indonesia for six months or more must enrol.
  • BPJS Ketenagakerjaan The employment social-security body: work-accident, old-age, pension and death benefits.
  • BPS Statistics Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik).
  • Bulog Perum Bulog, the state food-logistics corporation. It manages rice stocks and price stability but no longer holds a trade monopoly.
  • BUMN State-owned enterprises.

C

  • CGI Historical. The Consultative Group on Indonesia, the foreign donor consortium (successor to the Dutch-chaired IGGI), wound down in 2007.
  • Coretax The Directorate General of Taxes' integrated online tax system, live since 2025; you register, file the SPT and pay through it.

D

  • DIY The Special Region of Yogyakarta (Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta).
  • DKI As in DKI Jakarta, the Special Capital Region.
  • DKP-TKA The foreign-worker compensation levy (formerly DPKK), USD 100 per foreign worker per month, paid to the Ministry of Manpower.
  • DPA Historical. The Supreme Advisory Council, abolished by the 2002 constitutional amendments and replaced by the Presidential Advisory Council, Wantimpres.
  • DPD The Regional Representative Council — senators representing the provinces.
  • DPR The House of Representatives (People's Representative Council), the national parliament.
  • DPRD Regional legislative councils, at provincial and city/regency level.

E

  • EPO Exit Permit Only, required when a KITAS/ITAS holder resigns, changes employer or permit type, or leaves the country for good.

F

  • FPI The Islamic Defenders Front, a hardline vigilante group. Banned and disbanded by the government in December 2020; it is no longer a legally recognised organisation.

G

  • GAM The Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka), which fought for Acehnese independence until the 2005 peace settlement.
  • GBHN Historical. The Broad Outlines of State Policy, dropped when the MPR lost that function in the reform-era amendments.
  • Golkar Golongan Karya (Functional Group), Soeharto's electoral machine and still a major national party, though no longer the ruling apparatus it was under the New Order.
  • Golput Golongan putih — those who deliberately abstain from voting.
  • G30S / Gestapu The 30 September 1965 affair, the failed coup used to justify the New Order's rise to power.

H

  • HGB Hak Guna Bangunan, the Right to Build — a common land title held by companies, including foreign-owned entities.
  • HGU Hak Guna Usaha, the Right to Cultivate — a title for plantation and agricultural land.

I

  • IBRA Historical. The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN), created after the 1997–98 crisis and wound up in 2004.
  • IDX / BEI The Indonesia Stock Exchange (Bursa Efek Indonesia), the single national exchange formed in 2007 when the Jakarta and Surabaya exchanges merged.
  • IMB Historical. The old building permit (Izin Mendirikan Bangunan), replaced by the PBG under PP 16/2021. IMBs issued before the changeover stay valid until they expire; no new ones are issued.
  • IMTA Historical. The stand-alone foreign-worker permit, abolished in 2018. Work authorisation is now an electronic Notification (Notifikasi) issued through the TKA Online system on the basis of the employer's RPTKA.
  • ITB The Bandung Institute of Technology.

J

  • Jabodetabek Greater Jakarta — Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi.
  • JI Jemaah Islamiyah, the militant network behind the 2002 Bali bombings and other attacks.
  • JSX / SSE Historical. The separate Jakarta and Surabaya stock exchanges, merged into the IDX in 2007.

K

  • Kadin The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
  • KITAS / ITAS The Limited Stay Permit — ITAS is the permit, KITAS the card. Now issued and managed electronically as e-ITAS through the immigration portal, and the standard permit for foreign workers, investors, retirees and spouses.
  • KITAP / ITAP The Permanent Stay Permit, valid five years and renewable indefinitely, available after holding a KITAS for the required continuous period. An unlimited variant with no renewal cycle was introduced under the Global Citizenship of Indonesia scheme launched in January 2026, for a narrow band of high-value applicants.
  • KK Kartu Keluarga, the family/household registration card.
  • KKN Korupsi, kolusi, nepotisme (corruption, collusion, nepotism) — the shorthand for entrenched graft and a rallying cry of Reformasi.
  • KPK The Corruption Eradication Commission (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi).
  • KPR A home loan or mortgage (Kredit Pemilikan Rumah).
  • KPU The General Elections Commission.
  • KTP The national resident identity card (Kartu Tanda Penduduk); permanent-stay foreign residents hold one too.
  • KUD Village cooperatives (Koperasi Unit Desa).
  • KUHP / KUHAP The Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure respectively.

M

  • MA Mahkamah Agung, the Supreme Court.
  • MERP Multiple Exit Re-Entry Permit, issued with a KITAS so the holder can leave and re-enter Indonesia during its validity.
  • MK Mahkamah Konstitusi, the Constitutional Court.
  • MPR The People's Consultative Assembly — both chambers sitting together; it inaugurates the president and can amend the constitution.
  • MUI The Indonesian Ulema Council, which issues fatwas and halal rulings.

N

  • NIB Nomor Induk Berusaha, the Business Identification Number issued through OSS — the master licence a company needs to operate.
  • NIK Nomor Induk Kependudukan, the single national identity number printed on the KTP. For Indonesian citizens it now doubles as the tax number (see NPWP).
  • NPWP Your tax file number (Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak), required for employment, banking and most official business. For Indonesian citizens the 16-digit NIK now serves as the NPWP, accessed through Coretax; foreign taxpayers still receive a separate NPWP.
  • NU Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Muslim organisation, tens of millions strong.

O

  • OJK The Financial Services Authority (Otoritas Jasa Keuangan), regulator of banking, capital markets and non-bank finance since it took over from Bapepam in 2012.
  • OPM The Free Papua Movement (Organisasi Papua Merdeka).
  • Ormas Mass organisations — the legal category under which bodies such as the FPI can be banned.
  • OSS Online Single Submission, the national risk-based business-licensing portal through which NIBs and operating permits are issued.

P

  • PAUD Early-childhood education (Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini), the umbrella covering playgroup and kindergarten.
  • PBG Persetujuan Bangunan Gedung, the building approval that replaced the IMB. Applied for through the national SIMBG portal and granted on technical compliance rather than up-front permission; the companion SLF (Sertifikat Laik Fungsi) then certifies a finished building fit for use.
  • PDI-P The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan), Megawati Soekarnoputri's party and the main successor to the old PDI.
  • PKI Historical. The banned Indonesian Communist Party, still a potent political bogeyman.
  • PMA A foreign-investment company (Penanaman Modal Asing) — the standard vehicle for foreign-owned business, and depending on the sector able to be up to 100 per cent foreign-owned.
  • PMDN A domestic-investment company (Penanaman Modal Dalam Negeri).
  • PNS A civil servant (Pegawai Negeri Sipil).
  • POLRI The National Police, a separate institution from the military since 1999.
  • PPh Income tax (Pajak Penghasilan).
  • PPN Value-added tax (VAT).
  • PSSI The Indonesian football association.
  • PT Perseroan Terbatas, a limited-liability company — the "PT" that prefixes a company name.

R

  • RPTKA The Foreign Worker Utilisation Plan (Rencana Penggunaan Tenaga Kerja Asing) — the employer's approved plan, the legal basis for a foreign worker's visa, KITAS and work Notification.
  • RT Rukun Tetangga, the neighbourhood unit and lowest tier of administration; your RT head signs off much local paperwork.
  • RW Rukun Warga, the community unit above the RT.

S

  • SARA Suku, agama, ras, antargolongan (ethnicity, religion, race, inter-group relations) — the catch-all for identity issues you do not publicly inflame.
  • SD Primary/elementary school (Sekolah Dasar), grades 1–6, roughly ages 6–12.
  • SIM A driving licence (Surat Izin Mengemudi).
  • SMA Senior secondary school (Sekolah Menengah Atas), grades 10–12, the academic stream.
  • SMK Vocational senior secondary school (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan), grades 10–12.
  • SMP Junior secondary school (Sekolah Menengah Pertama), grades 7–9.
  • Sembako The nine basic commodities (sembilan bahan pokok).
  • SPT Your annual tax return (Surat Pemberitahuan Tahunan), now filed through Coretax.

T

  • TK Kindergarten (Taman Kanak-Kanak), sitting under the PAUD umbrella.
  • TNI The Indonesian National Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia), the current name that replaced ABRI in 1999.

U

  • UGM Gadjah Mada University, in Yogyakarta.
  • UI The University of Indonesia, in Jakarta.
  • UMP / UMK The provincial and the regency/city minimum wage (Upah Minimum Provinsi / Kabupaten–Kota), set annually under the wage formula now governed by PP 49/2025.

V

  • VITAS The Limited Stay Visa (Visa Tinggal Terbatas) — the entry visa issued before the ITAS/KITAS and converted to an ITAS after arrival.
  • VOA / eVOA Visa on Arrival (index B1), issued electronically as eVOA before travel: 30 days, extendable once for a further 30, to a 60-day maximum. The extension costs IDR 500,000 and, since June 2025, requires an in-person appointment at an immigration office for a biometric photo — it is no longer fully online.

W

  • WIB / WITA / WIT Indonesia's three time zones — Western, Central and Eastern Indonesia Time.
  • WNA A foreign national (Warga Negara Asing).
  • WNI An Indonesian citizen (Warga Negara Indonesia).

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