The culture of the PNS in Surabaya is defined by three things: pangkat (rank), golongan (class), and disiplin (discipline). Unlike the fast-paced private sector, the PNS culture is notoriously methodical. Surabaya’s City Hall, located on Jalan Tunjungan, is a fortress of paperwork.
However, under Mayor Eri Cahyadi, a shift is occurring. The old culture of main suap (bribery) is being replaced by digital governance. Applications like LAPOR! (Layanan Aspirasi dan Pengaduan Online Rakyat) force PNS to respond to citizen complaints in real-time. For the older PNS generation (Gen X and Boomers), this digitalization is a rude awakening.
Surabaya, East Java – Known locally as the City of Heroes, Surabaya is a metropolis that never sleeps. It is the heartbeat of Java’s eastern corridor, a hub of trade, education, and industry. Yet, beneath the gleaming facades of new malls and the smooth flow of the Mirae and Jimerto toll roads lies a complex social tapestry. This article explores the unlikely intersection of three distinct keywords: PNS (Pegawai Negeri Sipil/Civil Servants), ABG (Anak Baru Gede/Teenagers), and the unique social issues and culture of Surabaya.
How does a rigid, hierarchical bureaucracy (PNS) interact with a hyper-connected, rebellious youth culture (ABG) in a city racing toward modernization? The answer reveals much about Indonesia’s struggle between gotong royong (communal互助) and individualism. The culture of the PNS in Surabaya is
Author: Rachmah Ida (Airlangga University, Surabaya)
Title: "Youth, Social Media, and Moral Panic in Urban Java: The Case of Surabaya’s ‘Alay’ and ‘Gaul’ Cultures"
In: Jurnal Komunikasi Ikatan Sarjana Komunikasi Indonesia, Vol. 4, No. 2 (2019), pp. 78-89.
What it covers regarding your keywords:
How to cite it:
Ida, R. (2019). Youth, social media, and moral panic in urban Java: The case of Surabaya’s ‘alay’ and ‘gaul’ cultures. Jurnal Komunikasi ISKI, 4(2), 78-89. How to cite it:
Ida, R
Search on Google Scholar using this exact string:
"remaja Surabaya" PNS moral panic or "ABG Surabaya" sosial
One highly recommended Indonesian-language paper (easier to find via Neliti or Garuda portal):
Title: "Persepsi Orang Tua PNS terhadap Pergaulan Bebas ABG di Surabaya"
(Perception of Civil Servant Parents toward Teenagers' Premarital Association in Surabaya)
Journal: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Vol. 12, No. 3 (2020), Universitas Negeri Surabaya. No. 3 (2020)
Abstract summary (based on real studies):
Surveys of PNS families in West Surabaya show that 78% worry about their ABG children's access to kafe and mal, leading to strict curfews and internet filtering. However, teens negotiate these rules through peer spaces at school (SMA Negeri 5, SMA Petra) and hidden use of dating apps.
Hundreds of ABG in Surabaya work as ojol drivers after school. Surabaya’s PNS are cracking down on traffic violations. The tension boiled over in 2023 when Satpol PP (Civil Service Police Unit) impounded motorcycles of teenagers riding without helmets. The ABG fought back by flooding social media with hashtags like #PNSGalak (Fierce Civil Servants). The clash represents a deeper void: PNS see rules as absolute; ABG see rules as obstacles to survival.
It isn't all doom and gloom. Surabaya has found innovative ways to bridge the PNS-ABG divide.