Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Panitia berkoordinasi agar rapat berjalan lancar. - The committee coordinates so that the meeting runs smoothly.

Panitia means a committee (a group formed to handle an event/task). Indonesian doesn’t mark plural on nouns, so panitia can refer to one committee as a whole. To talk about individual members, say anggota panitia. For more than one committee, use beberapa panitia or panitia-panitia (rare; often avoided in favor of a quantifier like beberapa). Avoid para panitia; say para anggota panitia for “committee members.”

What does the prefix ber- do in berkoordinasi?

Ber- turns the base noun koordinasi into an intransitive verb meaning “to engage in coordination.” So berkoordinasi is “to coordinate (with others),” without taking a direct object.

Do I need to add dengan after berkoordinasi?

Only if you want to specify with whom.

Generic: Panitia berkoordinasi … (they coordinate, presumably among themselves or with relevant parties)
Specific: Panitia berkoordinasi dengan pihak terkait / dengan vendor / dengan panitia cabang.

What’s the difference between agar, supaya, and biar?

All mean “so that/in order that.”

agar: more formal
supaya: neutral
biar: informal/colloquial
Meaning is the same; choose based on register. Avoid the pleonasm agar supaya in careful writing.

Can I use untuk instead of agar here?

Not directly with a full clause; Panitia berkoordinasi untuk rapat berjalan lancar is unnatural. Use:

agar/supaya rapat berjalan lancar (purpose + clause), or
a noun phrase: untuk kelancaran rapat, or
add a verb: untuk membuat/menjamin rapat berjalan lancar.

How is agar different from sehingga?

agar expresses intended purpose (“so that”).
sehingga expresses result (“so that/as a result”).
Compare:
Panitia berkoordinasi agar rapat berjalan lancar (their intention)
Panitia berkoordinasi sehingga rapat berjalan lancar (their coordination led to the meeting running smoothly).

Does berjalan literally mean “to walk”? What does it mean here?

Literally yes, but in this collocation it means “to run/proceed/take place.” Rapat berjalan lancar = “The meeting proceeds smoothly.”

Is lancar an adjective or an adverb? Do I need dengan?

Lancar is an adjective that can function adverbially. Both are correct:

berjalan lancar
berjalan dengan lancar (a bit more formal/emphatic)

Are there other natural ways to say the last part?

Yes:

rapat berlangsung lancar
rapat berlangsung dengan baik
rapat terselenggara dengan lancar
Informal: rapatnya berjalan mulus

Can I start with the purpose clause?

Yes: Agar rapat berjalan lancar, panitia berkoordinasi. A comma after the fronted clause is natural.

How do I mark tense/aspect in this sentence?

Add particles or time adverbs:

Ongoing: Panitia sedang berkoordinasi …
Completed: Panitia sudah/telah berkoordinasi …
Future: Panitia akan berkoordinasi …
Indonesian verbs don’t inflect for tense.

How do I say “the meeting” (definite) rather than just “a meeting”?

Use definiteness markers: rapatnya, rapat itu, or formal rapat tersebut.
Example: … agar rapatnya berjalan lancar.

What if there are multiple meetings?

Say semua rapat, setiap rapat, or rapat-rapat (marked plural, less common in speech).
Example: Panitia berkoordinasi agar semua rapat berjalan lancar.

What’s the difference between berkoordinasi and mengoordinasi/mengkoordinasi(kan)?

berkoordinasi: intransitive, “coordinate (with others).”
mengoordinasi/mengkoordinasi: transitive, “coordinate (something/someone).”
mengoordinasikan/mengkoordinasikan: also transitive, often with an explicit object.
Examples:
Mereka berkoordinasi agar rapat berjalan lancar.
Dia mengoordinasikan rapat itu.
Note: Both spellings mengoordinasi(-kan) (preferred in some style guides) and mengkoordinasi(-kan) (very common) are widely understood.

Is koordinir acceptable? What about dropping ber- as in Panitia koordinasi?

Koordinir is colloquial; prefer koordinasi/berkoordinasi in standard Indonesian. In casual speech, noun-as-verb is common (Panitia koordinasi biar rapatnya lancar), but in writing use berkoordinasi.

Is rapat lancar okay without berjalan?

It’s understandable (especially rapatnya lancar), but rapat berjalan/berlangsung lancar is more idiomatic and natural in neutral or formal contexts.