VP labels 2003 year of anxiety

VP labels 2003 year of anxiety

JAKARTA: Vice President Hamzah Haz has called the new year one of anxiety, partly due to price rises for various products and services, including fuel, a report said.

"The Vice President has called 2003 the year of anxiety," Tjahjadi Nugroho, chairman of the Indonesian Clergy Association, said on Thursday after a meeting with Hamzah.

According to him, Hamzah expressed concern that the increasing price of fuel and other products would weaken people's purchasing power.

Hamzah expressed hope that everybody would do their best to increase income and create job opportunities, Tjahjadi said.

He said Hamzah also expressed hope the clergy association could help reduce the fear many people have of holding religious dialogs.-- Antara