Do not let illegal levies take root

Public spaces are always born from a simple idea. Roads are closed for a few hours so residents can walk comfortably. Culinary centres are built so small traders have decent places to do business. Street vendor areas are organised so that economic activity can grow without disrupting the common interest. All of this is built using state funds that come from the public and are returned for the public’s benefit.

However, this noble purpose can lose its meaning when illegal levies, or ‘pungli’, emerge. The monetary value collected may not be large, but the impact far exceeds the recorded figure. Illegal levies erode trust, increase economic costs, and create the impression that public services can only be accessed through unofficial channels.

The alleged illegal levy cases that occurred in the Car Free Day area of Taman Bungkul, the Kalijudan Culinary Tourism Centre, and among street vendors in Tambak Wedi, Surabaya, East Java, serve as a reminder that public spaces always require oversight. Interestingly, in the development of these cases, the parties suspected of carrying out the levies came to meet Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi to admit their mistakes and offer an apology. Some of the money that had been collected has even been returned to the traders. The Surabaya City Government also emphasised that the legal process continues according to the authority of law enforcement officials and invited the public to actively report similar practices.

Illegal levies are often perceived as a minor issue because the nominal amounts are insignificant. In fact, the greatest loss is not the amount of money that changes hands, but the damage to public trust in government administration. Small traders are the most vulnerable group. They work with limited daily profits. Additional costs outside official provisions will reduce income that should be used to meet family needs or increase business capital.

Furthermore, illegal levies create a high-cost economy. When such practices are considered commonplace, the public will assume that every public service must have an additional cost not listed in the regulations. This perception poses a serious threat to the government’s efforts to build a clean, transparent, and service-oriented bureaucracy.

The case that occurred in Surabaya actually shows another side that deserves appreciation. The city government did not stop at mere clarification. The alleged levies were investigated together with the police, the collected money was ordered to be returned, and the public was encouraged to dare to report. This approach demonstrates that oversight of public spaces is not only carried out through government apparatus but also involves citizen participation.