pakat

Pakat is a term used in Malay and Indonesian languages to denote mutual agreement, pact, or alliance among parties. As a noun, it refers to a formal or informal agreement, treaty, covenant, or coalition. The related form pakatan designates the coalition or alliance itself. In action, phrases such as berpakat or berpakatan describe the act of joining forces or coming to an agreement. In Indonesian, sepakat is the common word for “to agree,” but pakat remains familiar in Malay-speaking contexts and appears in the names of political coalitions and historical agreements, such as Pakatan Harapan or Pakatan Rakyat.

Etymology and usage context: Pakat is native to Malay-speaking regions and is closely related to pakatan and berpakat. The precise historical origin is not firmly established, but the term has long signified mutual assent and collective action. Pakat can carry neutral or positive connotations, emphasizing cooperative intent. In some contexts, berpakat may carry a slightly more informal or conspiratorial nuance, depending on context and tone.

In modern usage, pakat appears in political, social, and community settings to describe coalitions or joint actions. In formal Indonesian writing, kesepakatan or kesepakatan bersama are often used as equivalents, while pakat and its derivatives are more common in Malay-language discourse and in proper nouns referring to coalitions.

See also: sepakat, pakatan, berpakat, perjanjian, kesepakatan.