Since at the moment of its founding (1980) until the year of 1983, PERSILAT was managed collectively by a Presidium consisting of 7 members. Eddie M. Nalapraya was determined as Chairman of the Presidium. The duty of Presidium was among others to organize PERSILAT Congress. The first PERSILAT Congress was organized by the Presidium in the year 1983 in Kuala Lumpur.

The principles of PERSILAT are brotherhood, family spirit, unity and honoring each other, and non-discrimination against nationality and religion. PERSILAT is a non-political organization.

The vision of PERSILAT is to make Pencak Silat as an attractive and interested sport throughout the world.

The mission of PERSILAT is to make Pencak Silat as competing/official sport at SEA Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics.

The objective of PERSILAT shall be :

Basically, every national organization / association of Pencak Silat, either the one which has been recognized or that which has not been recognized yet by the national authorized body, can become member of PERSILAT. Even any Pencak Silat organization which has no qualification yet as national organization, can become member of PERSILAT if it is considered worthy to represent its country.

Each country shall be represented only by one national association. In case any certain country has no national level of Pencak Silat association, membership shall only be granted to one certain Pencak Silat organization which in the opinion of PERSILAT may be accepted as a member.

PERSILAT has four levels of membership, that is : the Founding Member, the Affiliated Member, the Associated Member and the Junior Member.

Founding Member is a national organization of Pencak Silat recognized to represent certain countries founding PERSILAT, in this case consisting of : Ikatan Pencak Silat Indonesia (IPSI), Persekutuan Silat Singapura (PERSISI), the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of Malaysia which later in the first Congress of PERSILAT in Kuala Lumpur in 1985 altered its membership into Persekutuan Silat Kebangsaan Malaysia (PESAKA) and Persekutuan Silat Kebangsaan Brunei Darussalam (PERSIB) that officially constituted as Founding Member in the second Congress of PERSILAT in Singapore in 1988.

Affiliated Member is a national level of Pencak Silat association or a Pencak Silat organization of certain country that has been admitted member of PERSILAT and recognized by the national level agency authorized to manage / be responsible for Pencak Silat affairs in the relevant country. Basically the Affiliated Member is a promotion status of the Associated member.

Associated Member is a national level Pencak Silat association or a Pencak Silat organization existing certain country that has not complied with such membership qualification but in the opinion of PERSILAT my be represent the relevant country and has been admitted as Associated Member of PERSILAT. Basically the Associated Member is a promotion status of the Junior Member.

Junior Member is a sole Pencak Silat organization or any organization/ individual which has been appointed to represent PERSILAT in the relevant country and recognized as Junior Member of PERSILAT.

Level of the boards of PERSILAT consist of Federation Central Board, which are elected and determined by and from the Founding Members of PERSILAT in a PERSILAT Congress, and 5 Federation Regional Boards for Asia, Europe, America, Pacific and Africa, each of which are elected and determined by and from the respective region members in a Regional Plenary Meeting. The working period of the Federation Central Board is 4 years and the working period of the Federation Regional Boards are 3 years.
The highest institution for PERSILAT and its whole members is the Congress or the General Meeting of PERSILAT, which is arranged once in 4 years at a location determined by the previous PERSILAT Congress. Participants of this Congress are the representatives of Central Board, the founding members, the Regional Boards, affiliated members, associated members and junior members.
Code of conduct of the world wide Pencak Silat man, called pesilat, is “Ikrar Pesilat”, meaning the promise declaration of the pesilat to himself. “Ikrar Pesilat” consists of 5 points of promise, the complete text of which is as follows :

1.	A Pesilat is an individual who has noble mind and character.
2.	A Pesilat is a man who honors his fellow man, and loves friendship and peace.
3.	A Pesilat is a man who always thinks and acts positively, creatively and dynamic.
4.	A Pesilat is a knight who upholds truth, honesty and justice, and is always resilient in facing any    ordeal and temptation.
5.	A Pesilat is a knight who is always responsible for his words and deeds.

The symbol of PERSILAT and its explanation was composed together by Zahari (PERSISI), Oyong Karmayudha (IPSI) and Zainal Abidin (PESAKA). The mentioned symbol was legalized by the 1983 1st Congress of PERSILAT. After PERSIB had been determined as founding member of PERSILAT, the said symbol of PERSILAT was completed with paddy picture.

Since the first Congress of PERSILAT held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in the year 1983, until the seventh PERSILAT Congress on December 2005 in Singapore, Eddie M. Nalapraya was always elected and determined back as the President of PERSILAT.

Personnel structure of the Central Board of PERSILAT period 2004-2008 is as follows :

The address of The Central Board of PERSILAT is : Padepokan Pencak Silat Indonesia, Jl. Taman Mini I, Jakarta 13560, phone : 021-8416011 ext. 399, 398, 396.