Indonesians have a thing for abbreviations and acronyms. They can be quite confusing if you aren't used to them, and sometimes they are used without prior reference, because everyone (in Indonesia) evidently knows what the acronym means. Newspapers do this quite frequently. Thus I've decided to create this list with definitions as a general reference. I will add acronyms as I come across them in my reading and research. I'm sorry if the one your searching for is not yet on the list; I'm doing this in an ad-hoc manner. You can use the "search" function in your browser.
Acronym Indonesian English
A
AMDAL Analisi Dampak Lingkungan Environmental Impact Assessment
APB Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Budget (government)
APBD APD Daerah Budget for a region
APL Atas pemukaan laut Above sea level
B
Bimtek Bimbingan Teknis Technical training.
BKSDA Balai Konservasi dan Sumber Daya Alam Office of Conservation and
natural resources
BMGK Badan materologi, geofisika, dan klimatology
BPK Badan Pemeriksa Keuangan
BPK Barisan Pemadam Kebakaran Fire department
BUMN Badan Usaha Milik Negara Bureau for state-owned enterprises
Bencal Bencana Alam Natural disaster
C
D
DAK Dana Alokasi Khusus Special allocation from central gov't
DAS Daerah Aliran Sungai Watershed
DAU Dana Alokasi Umum General allocation
from central gov't
DISDIKNAS Dinas Pendidikan Nasional National education authority
DINSOSKERTRANS Dinas Social, Tenaga Kerja, dan Tranmigrasi
Office of social, labor & transmigration
DIPS Daftar Isian Pelaksanaan Angaran
DPR Dewan Perwakilan Raykat Parliament (national)
DPRD Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah Regional Assembly
DUBES Duta Besar Ambassador
E
F
G
H
HAM Hak Asasi Manusia Basic Human Rights
HPH Hak Penusahan Hutan Forest concession
HPHD Hak Pengelolahan Hutan Desa Village forest
HT Handy-Talky Walkie-Talkie
HUMAS Hubungan Masyarakat Public relations
HUT Hari Ulang Tahun Aniversary
I
J
JALING Jalan Lingkungan
JPU Jaksa Penuntut Umum Public prosecutor
JASLING Jasa Lingkungan Environmental Service
JUT Jalan Usaha Tani Farm Road
K
Kalbar Kalimantan Barat West Kalimantan province
Kalsel Kalimantan Selatan South Kalimantan province
Kalteng Kalimantan Tengah Central Kalimantan province
Kejagung Kejaksaan Agung
Kejati Kejaksaan Tinggi Public prosecutor
Kemenakertrans Kementerian Tenaga Kerja & Transmigrasi
Ministry of labor and transmigration
Kemenhut Kementerian Hutan Forestry Ministry
Kemtan Kementerian Pertanian Agriculture ministry
KK Kepala Keluarga Head of Household
KKN Kolusi, Korupsi, dan Nepotisme Collusion, corruption,
and nepotism
KPK Komisi Perberantasan Korupsi Corruption Eradication
Commission
KPU Komisi Pemilihan Umum Election commission
Kunker Kunjungan Kerja Work visit
KY Komisi Yudicial Judicial Commision
L
LIPI Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia State research agency
LSM Lembaga Swadaya Masyarakat Civil society organization
M
MA Mahkama Agung Supreme Coutr
Mabes Polri Markas Besar Polisi Republik Indonesia
Headquarters of Nat'l Police (near Blok M)
Mendagri Menteri Dalam Negeri Minister of the Interior
Minah Minyak Tanah Oil (petroleum)
Miras Minuman Keras Hard liquor
N
O
ORMAS Organisasi Masyarakat Civil society organization
P
PANSUS Panitia Khusus Special committee
PBB Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa United Nations
PDAM Perusahan Daerah Air Minum Regional water authority
PDB Produk Domestik Bruto Gross domestic product
Pekat Penyakit Masyarakat Social Ill
Pemda Pemerintah Daerah Regional government
Pemilu Pemilihan Umum General Election
Perpres Peraturan Presiden Presidential regulation
Pessel Pesisir Selatan Pesisir Selatan Kabupaten
PETI Penambangan Emas Tanpa Izin Illegal gold mining
PHKA Perlingungan Hutan dan Konservasi Alam
Pilkada Pilihan Umum Kepala Daerah Election for head of region
PKS Partai Keadilan Sejateraan Justice and Prosperity Party
PLTA Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Air Hydropower plant
PLTP Pembangit Listrik Tenaga Panas Bumi Geothermal plant
PNS Pegawai Negeri Sipil Civil Servant
Prolegnas Program Legislasi Nasional National legislative agenda
PSM Pekerja Sosial Masyarakat Social worker
PT Perseroan Terbatas Limited Corporation
PU Pekerjaan Umun Public works
PUSKESMAS Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat Public health clinic
Q
R
RASKIN Beras Miskin Rice for poor people
Reskrim Reserse Kriminal Police detective
RENSTRA Rencana Strategis Strategic plan
RPJM Rencana Pembangunan Jangka Menenga Medium term
development plan
RT Rukun Tetangga Neighborhood association
RUU Rencana Undang-Undang Draft law
RW Rukun Warga A lower level of
governmental organization
RTRW Rencana Tata Ruang Wilayah Regional spatial plan
S
Sarpras Sarana dan prasarana Infrastructure
SDM Sumber Daya Manusia Human Resources
SEMBAKO Sembilan Bahan Pokok Basket of goods used to
gauge inflation
SK Surat Keputusan Letter of decision
(an executive political order)
SKPD Satuan Kerja Perangkat Daerah
SLTA Sekolah Lanjutan Tingkat Atas
SNI Standar Nasional Indonesia National standard (for product, service)
SOLSEL Solok Selatan Name of a regency
SPDP Surat Pemberitahuan Dimulainya Penyidikan
SPTN Seksi Pengelolaan Taman Nasional Management section
of a national park
SUMBAR Sumatra Barat Name of a province
SUMSEL Sumatra Selatan Name of a province
T
Tipikor Tindak Pidana Korupsi The court that tries corruption cases
TKI Tenaga Kerja Indonesia Overseas workers from Indonesia
TNI Tentara Negara Indonesia Armed forces
U
V
W
Wabup Wakil Bupati Vice headman for a region (regency)
Wako Walikota Mayor (of an administrative city)
X
Y
Z