sekat

Se kat is a Malay and Indonesian noun meaning a barrier, partition, or dam. It refers to a device or structure that blocks or restricts passage, flow, or access. The verb form menyekat means to block, hinder, or restrict, and it is widely used in everyday language as well as in technical contexts. The term is common in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Singapore, and it appears in both urban and rural discourse.

Common uses of sekat include physical barriers such as walls, screens, fences, gates, or any partition that divides spaces or controls movement. In civil engineering and water management, sekat can describe components that regulate flow, such as sluice gates, low dams, or temporary barriers used in canals and irrigation systems. In transportation and safety contexts, sekat barriers may restrain access or guide traffic and pedestrians, for example in front of restricted areas or construction sites. In agriculture, sekat can denote barriers that direct water or separate plots.

In everyday policy and law, the related word sekatan refers to restrictions or sanctions, such as sekatan perdagangan (trade restrictions) or sekatan perjalanan (travel restrictions). While the core meaning centers on division or obstruction, the precise sense of sekat is shaped by its context—architectural, hydraulic, traffic-related, or regulatory.

See also: pembatas, penghalang, dinding pemisah, pintu air, sekatan.