KARTA: Their names were meant to pique the interest of the public, but the Indonesian government’s numerous applications and programs have been accused of having discriminatory and sexually provocative meanings, which has drawn strong public censure and calls for changes to be made.
This is even more ironic given that the National Commission on Violence Against Women, an independent body whose purpose is to end violence against women in Indonesia, cautioned against using such names because they would denigrate the brain or sex.  ,
The” Sipepek” social platform application, which is run by the authorities in Cirebon Regency, is one of the topics that have suss out the most. The game was created to help hunger prevention programs and health insurance for underprivileged residents of the region by abbreviating for the Indonesian title of the regency’s Social Welfare Service Administration Information System.  ,
However, some have criticized the name, including a member of Parliament from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle ( PDI-P) for its alleged double entendre.  ,
According to local media, the name” Sipepek” was taken from the local vocabulary of Cirebon- located in West Java province- to think” full” or “everything is it”. However, according to the Indonesian frequent dictionary, the word “pepek” has another significance and mostly refers to the female testicles.  ,
According to PDIP’s Selly Andriany Gantina, the phone’s brand needs to be changed because it has sparked unfavorable reactions and miscommunication among some users.
” I understand that outdoors Cirebon, or according to ( the Indonesian typical dictionary ) itself, the term’ pepek’ has a unique and even rude tone.  ,
This undoubtedly causes misinterpretation and damaging emotions in the general public and online. She was quoted as saying in detikNews on Monday ( Jul 8 ) that” It is important for us to listen to this criticism and use the feedback for evaluation.”
But, Cirebon Regency officials defended the app’s name, saying that it is a “one-stop” shop for complete service for the public, and that its government spokesman doubled down on its regional significance.  ,
Despite this reason, the application has been mocked on social media, with users posting satirical remarks online. One person on X, previously known as Twitter, wrote:” They made the program, but I’m the one who is afraid of it. ”  ,
The discussion extends beyond Cirebon. Other unusually named apps and programs include” Sithole,” a consultation information system managed by the Semarang District Court, and” Siska Ku Intip,” a program that combines palm oil plantations with cattle farming.  ,
The earlier- which translates commonly to” I take a look at Siska”- was deemed discriminatory by users, with” Siska “presumed to be a female title.  ,
Also, some even took problem with a programme called” Mas Dedi Memang Jantan” which seeks to provide protection for prone workers. When translated, the programme literally means:” Dedi is the macho man. ”  ,
According to local media, it is widely acknowledged that” Dedi “refers to former Tegal mayor Dedy Yon Supriyono, who left office in March 2024 after completing his term of service. He made the opening remarks at the program’s launch in August 2022 and was a guest.  ,
Critics claimed that the names of these apps and programs are typically derived from inventive abbreviations or acronyms and are typically meant to be simple to remember by users. However, they tend to draw criticisms for being easily misinterpreted as offensive or inappropriate.
The use of eccentric acronyms with sexual or vulgar connotations that are common in a number of government apps and programs has been criticized by Mr. Mardana Ali Sera from the Islamist-leaning Prosperous Justice Party ( PKS).
He claimed some of the names used were frequently considered to be degrading and demanded that these app names be changed right away. Additionally, he also urged the general public to report any programs or digital platforms with inappropriate names.  ,
The National Commission on Violence Against Women has also made an important point about the situation.  ,
It is understood that the use of acronyms is intended to make people remember and recognize government programs. According to its commissioner Siti Aminah Tardi, as quoted by local media, “words with the right tone should be used, that do not objectify the body or connote the appearance of the body or gender.”
President Joko Widodo ordered government officials to stop creating new mobile applications earlier in May in an effort to lessen bureaucratic complexity.  ,
The INA Digital initiative, which aims to integrate the systems and data of roughly 27, 000 existing applications used by various ministries and regional administrations, is a component of the directive.  ,
He noted that this integration could aid in economic growth, noting that the government could save the government about 6.2 trillion rupees ( US$ 388.11 million ) from the discontinued development of new online applications.