Strategy to Survive for Balinese After Bali Bombings I

The first Bali Bombing 2002-2005 gave bigs impacts for a long time to the lives of the Balinese. The impacts have not only been felt in economic sector but also physical and mental health. During the 2.5 years after the bombings, improved economic condition was nowhere to be seen. Instead, in this period there was an increased unemployment by 3.5%, reduced working hours 4.2% , reduced wages 47%, household income 22.6% The reduced household income has made the Balinese adopt some strategies to survive.

At least there were three types of strategy that had been taken apart from reducing consumption. “There were three main strategies at work taken by family heads in Bali: changing job status, changing kind of work and working hour increase,”  said Ir. Ni Wayan Suriastini, M.Phil., in an open examination of doctoral promotion in Population at UGM Graduate School on Wednesday, UGM (31/3). Acting as promoter was Prof. Drs. Kasto, M.A., and co-promoters Prof. Dr. Faturochman and Prof. Dr. Irwan Abdullah.

She explained that there were fewer heads of family with good education who changed their status of job and had more job opportunities. The strategies to add working hours and have more members of family to work were the most taken by families. Such strategies have significantly given  positive contribution to short and long term increased welfare. “This strategy reduced non-material welfare whether physically or emotionally, so that work-related intervention needs to be balanced with prevention, maintenance, and improved physical and emotional health,” said the Head of Research Office of SurveyMETER.

To the panel of examiners led by Dr. Hartono, about her dissertation ”Surviving During Crisis: Short and Middle Term Study of Bali Bombings 2002-2005", Ni Wayan Suriastini said that the qualitative study showed that the capital availability and skills had helped workers’ capacity to change jobs.

In her opinion, giving assistance in the form of capital and marketing were the three main things of a number of efforts taken by the Government to enable workers change their job status or type of job, especially for heads of family who have low education between 0-6 years.

Head of examiners, Dr. Hartono, said that she passed and earned very satisfactory distinction, thus became UGM’s 1189 doctor. Prof. Drs. Kasto, M.A., giving his comment said that she had successfully researched the strategy taken by survivors of the Bali Bombings. “The result can be offered as alternative solution for similar problems. Your approach was unique. I hope that in the future you can do something in population issues adopting multi-disciplinary approach,” he hoped.