Key Takeaways:

• Survivor Chusnul Chotimah fears losing vital aid after President Prabowo's $19 billion budget cuts.
• The cuts primarily affect Indonesia's victim and witness protection agency, LPSK, which supports bombing survivors.
• Nationwide student protests are occurring against proposed budget reductions, raising concerns over social support systems.

In a heart-wrenching narrative, Chusnul Chotimah, a survivor of the tragic Bali bombing that occurred over two decades ago, expresses her mounting fears following Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's announcement of significant budget cuts totaling $19 billion. These reductions aim to fund various election promises, including school lunches, as reported by SCMP.

The blasts, which targeted popular nightclubs in Bali and were linked to the al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jemaah Islamiah, killed 202 individuals, including 38 Indonesians and 88 Australians. For Chusnul, the aftermath has involved enduring 37 surgeries and a daily struggle for survival while managing a food stall in Sidoarjo, East Java. She relies heavily on funding from the country's victim and witness protection agency (LPSK) for her ongoing medical treatment and psychiatric support.

Chusnul recounted a disturbing conversation with LPSK's vice head, Susi, who confirmed that the impending budget cuts could jeopardize the aid she so desperately needs. “It seems your aid won't be safe,” Chusnul quoted Susi as saying. LPSK chief Achmadi remarked that the agency would still advocate for the rights of victims and witnesses despite the budget being slashed by more than half, down to 108 billion rupiah (about $6.6 million), as detailed in a Channel News Asia report.

Despite claims from Prabowo's office that cuts only target unnecessary spending, there has been widespread concern about the broader implications for public services. Thousands of Indonesian students have taken to the streets in recent protests, voicing their fears that the cuts will dismantle crucial social support systems.

With a meager income of less than $4 a day, Chusnul struggles not only with her medical expenses but also the costs associated with her son's treatment for von Willebrand disease, a rare blood disorder. Other survivors of the Bali bombing have echoed her concerns, recently sending letters to both parliament and Prabowo, demanding that LPSK be exempted from these cuts.

Chusnul closed her remarks with a poignant statement on the harsh reality she faces: "I will try to look for money from working... but for my treatments to go without LPSK's aid is impossible," she lamented, emphasizing the dire consequences these financial reductions hold for her quality of life and that of other survivors.

For more details, visit Reuters.