More Than Just Animals at Stake

Not all losses from corruption can be measured in numbers. Some manifest as neglected enclosures, reduced feed, sick animals, and educational spaces that have lost their meaning. At Surabaya Zoo (KBS), the alleged financial irregularities are not merely a matter of a missing Rp10.2 billion. This case serves as a reminder that poor governance can have far-reaching consequences, even affecting living creatures entirely dependent on humans. The case of alleged corruption at the Regional-owned Enterprise Taman Satwa (PDTS) KBS, now being handled by the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office, has drawn widespread attention. Investigators have named the former President Director of PDTS KBS for the 2016–2024 period, identified by the initials CA, as a suspect for the alleged misuse of operational funds, causing state financial losses of around Rp10.2 billion. The alleged irregularities have not only left administrative problems but have also impacted the condition of facilities and animal welfare. Interestingly, the local government’s response did not stop at the legal process. The Surabaya City Government is pushing for the case to be investigated openly while simultaneously strengthening the oversight system through regular independent audits. This approach demonstrates that tackling corruption should not end with punishing the perpetrators, but must also involve building a system capable of preventing similar deviations in the future. In many cases, corruption in regional-owned enterprises stems from weak governance. Suboptimal internal oversight, the concentration of authority in the hands of a few, weak control systems, and audits that fail to detect irregularities early on create exploitable loopholes. The KBS case illustrates the importance of governance as the primary foundation of an organisation. Financial reports were audited annually, but the alleged irregularities only came to light after the city government requested an independent audit from an auditor recommended by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK). This process revealed indications of anomalies that subsequently developed into a criminal investigation. The key lesson is that transparency must not depend on the courage of a single leader. Transparency must be an inherent mechanism within the system. Every expenditure, especially those related to the basic needs of animals such as feed, medicine, and enclosure maintenance, needs to be digitally documented, easily traceable, and supervised by multiple layers of control.