More Than Just Animals at Stake
However, true success will only be achieved if, once the legal process is complete, KBS can rise as an institution that is increasingly trusted, its animals increasingly well cared for, and its management serving as an example that integrity can go hand in hand with good governance.
Surabaya (ANTARA) - Not all losses from corruption can be measured in numbers. Some take the form of enclosures no longer maintained, reduced feed, animals falling ill, and educational spaces losing their meaning.
At Surabaya Zoo (KBS), the alleged financial irregularity is not merely a matter of around Rp10.2 billion going missing. This case is a reminder that poor governance can spread far, even touching living creatures that depend entirely on humans.
The suspected corruption case at the Surabaya Zoological Park Enterprise (PDTS KBS), currently 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 over alleged misuse of operational budgets that caused state financial losses of around Rp10.2 billion.
The alleged irregularity has not only left administrative problems, but has also affected the condition of facilities and animal welfare.
What is notable is that the regional government’s response did not stop at the legal process. The Surabaya City Government has in fact pushed for the case to be disclosed openly while strengthening the oversight system through regular independent audits.
This step shows that handling corruption should not stop at punishing the perpetrators, but must also build a system capable of preventing similar irregularities in the future.
In many cases, corruption in regionally owned enterprises is rooted in weak governance. Internal oversight that does not run optimally, concentration of authority in the hands of a few parties, weak control systems, and audits unable to detect irregularities early on all become gaps that can be exploited.
The case at KBS demonstrates the importance of governance as an organisation’s main foundation. Financial reports are indeed audited every year, but suspected anomalies only came to light after the city government requested an independent audit by an auditor recommended by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK). From that process, indications of irregularity emerged which later developed into a criminal investigation.
The important lesson is that transparency must not depend on the courage of a single leader. Transparency must become a mechanism embedded in the system. Every expenditure, especially those relating to animals’ basic needs such as feed, medicines, and enclosure maintenance, must be digitally documented, easily traceable, and monitored through multiple layers of control.