THE TIME ZONES IN INDONESIA

Indonesia stretches widely from Sabang to Merauke. It is vast enough to have three time zones separated by several geographical areas. Check out the overview below according to Presidential Decree number 41 of 1987.

1. 1. Waktu Indonesia Barat – WIB (Western Indonesia Time)

The Western Indonesia Time Zone covers the islands of Sumatra, Java, Madura, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan (UTC+07:00).

1. 2. Waktu Indonesia Tengah – WITA (Central Indonesian Time

The WITA zone covers South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, and North Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and the Sunda Kecil Islands or more commonly known as Nusa Tenggara which includes the island of Bali (UTC+08:00).

1. 3. Waktu Indonesia Timur – WIT (Eastern Indonesia Time)

The WIT zone covers the Maluku and Papua Islands (UTC+09:00).

The following are examples of how to read the time in Indonesian language.

Period Punctuation

Period punctuation are used to separate the hours, minutes, and seconds. Example sentences are as follows.

1. 1. Saya akan bertemu dia jam 10.00. (I will meet him at 10 o’clock)

Saya akan bertemu dia jam 10 (tepat).

1. 2. Kelas di Wisma Bahasa mulai jam 10.15. (The Class at Wisma Bahasa starts at a quarter past 10.)

Kelas di Wisma Bahasa mulai jam 10 lebih 15 menit.

Kelas di Wisma Bahasa mulai jam 10 lebih seperempat.

1. 3. Saya harus siap jam 09.45 atau sebelum kereta datang. (I have to be ready at a quarter to 10 or before the train comes.)

Saya harus siap jam 9 lebih 45 menit atau sebelum kereta datang.

Saya harus siap jam 10 kurang 15 menit atau sebelum kereta datang.

1. 4. Saya biasanya tidur jam 22.30. (I usually go to bed at half past 10 pm.)

Saya biasanya tidur jam setengah 11 malam.

The use of the words like jam, pukul, dan zona waktu (clock, time, and time zone)

Indonesian language native speakers tend to use the word jam to indicate the time in everyday conversation. However, you may find the word pukul in formal conversation and in formal letters such as invitations or announcements. Here is an example to put it in a sentence.

Rapat akan diadakan pukul 13.00 WIB di ruang rapat Gedung Kresna. (The meeting will be held at 13.00 WIB in the Kresna Building’s meeting room.)

Knowing how to read the time in Indonesian language is very important for daily conversation. One of the most important things is that you need to memorize the vocabulary of numbers first before learning the concept of time. Don’t worry! Wisma Bahasa teachers will come to class on time and ready to accompany you to study