Page "Salute" Paragraph 79

If the male is an Abdi Dalem royal servant, courtier or particularly " peko-peko " ( taken directly from Japanese to mean obsequious ) or even a highly formal individual, he will retreat face and head downcast, never show his side or back to his superior, and retreat backwards in the following posture: left-arm crossed against the chest, right-arm hanging and walking stooped.

The underlying concept is that their head height may never be equal to that of their superior.