The Pemkot (City Government) has started employing ABG as Duta Remaja (Youth Ambassadors). These teenagers sit in on Musrenbang (Development Planning Deliberations). They tell the old PNS what apps they use, what music they listen to, and why they need free Wi-Fi at the Taman Bungkul park. To their credit, the PNS are listening. The result? Mural festivals in Kampung Krembangan and legalized skate parks.
A major social issue emerging in Surabayan culture is the fragility of ABG. Local psychologists call it the Generasi Strawberry (Strawberry Generation)—soft, easily bruised, and unable to handle the high-pressure, direct Arek communication style of older PNS.
When an ABG is scolded by a strict PNS teacher or a parent who works as a Lurah (village head), the reaction is often viral rebellion. We see this in the rise of polisi tidur (speed bump) protests or viral TikTok videos shaming PNS for minor infractions. The Pemkot (City Government) has started employing ABG
This report analyzes the phenomenon known as "PNS ABG" (an acronym for Pegawai Negeri Sipil Anak Baru Gede or Civil Servants Who Are Just "Grown-Up Children") within the specific context of Surabaya, Indonesia. While the Indonesian government has recently pushed for "Smart Cities" and bureaucratic reform, a counter-narrative exists regarding the workforce. This report explores how local culture, generational shifts, and systemic issues converge to create the "PNS ABG" stereotype, impacting public service delivery and social trust in Indonesia’s second-largest city.
Title: "The Morality of Leisure: Youth, Public Space, and Social Control in Surabaya, Indonesia"
Published in: Bijdragen tot de taal-, land- en volkenkunde / Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia (2018) – or similar ethnographic studies by Dr. Bianca Manzi or Dr. Rachmah Ida (Airlangga University, Surabaya). This report analyzes the phenomenon known as "PNS
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Surabaya’s PNS culture differs from Jakarta’s. Arek (people of Surabaya) are known for being cercah (blunt) and efficient. A PNS in Surabaya is less likely to engage in the smooth-talking diplomacy of a Javanese priyayi (noble class) from Solo. Instead, they speak with the aggressive directness of a port city. This suroboyoan assertiveness often clashes with the national bureaucratic culture, creating a unique hybrid: fast-paced but still trapped in a red-tape maze. Surabaya’s PNS culture differs from Jakarta’s
A new culture is emerging called Ngopi Suroboyo—coffee shops that are neither formal PNS offices nor chaotic ABG hangouts. Here, a Kepala Dinas (Head of Agency) might debate football and Warkop DKI movies with a 17-year-old anak tongkrongan. These coffee shops, priced at Rp 15,000 for a glass of Kopi Joss (coffee with hot charcoal), are the neutral ground where PNS authority meets ABG passion.
Surabaya has the highest number of shopping malls per capita outside of Jakarta. For ABG, nongkrong (hanging out) is a sacred ritual. Places like Tunjungan Plaza (the largest mall in Southeast Asia), Galaxy Mall, and Pakuwon Mall are the cathedrals of youth culture.
But the social issue is exclusion. While ABG with disposable income sip iced caramel macchiatos, the PNS earn a modest TPP (Tambahan Penghasilan Pegawai/Employee Income Supplement). The economic gap creates a cultural schism. Many PNS parents complain that their ABG children demand lifestyles they cannot afford—new iPhones, café-hopping at Rp 50,000 per coffee, and Staycation at hotels.