'Sweeping' is a suicidal act: Hamzah Haz

JAKARTA: Vice President Hamzah Haz who is also the chairman of the country's third largest Islamic-based party the United Development Party (PPP) renewed his appeal on Tuesday for Muslims groups not to conduct searches or 'sweeping' against foreigners in the wake of the U.S. plan to strike Afghanistan, reports said.

"Sweeping is a suicidal act. Others will take advantage of it, not us," Hamzah said as quoted by Antara on the sidelines of a business meeting in West Kalimantan.

Hamzah was accompanied by West Kalimantan Governor Aspar Aswin.

Hamzah, a senior politician, further warned Indonesians not to overreact to current political issues and not to resort to violence.

Several radical Muslim groups here have threatened to hunt down and expel Americans following the U.S. planned attack on Afghanistan.

The Vice President expressed his feelings, saying that he has been in the job "too long" in the light of all the country's complex problems.