VP under fire for 'political visits'

SURABAYA: Vice President Hamzah Haz has been accused of misusing state funds in an early campaign for the 2004 elections.

East Java's vice chairman of The National Awakening Party (PKB) Wahyudin Husein said on Tuesday that Hamzah was using public money to visit Islamic boarding schools throughout the country.

He accused Hamzah, also the leader of the United Development Party (PPP), of carrying out disguised political campaigns for his political group long before the general elections in 2004.

A similar criticism was also lodged by the local branch of the National Mandate Party (PAN). It said Hamzah's political visits to the province were "not a sympathetic move".

"What I am most worried about is that Hamzah has misused state funds for the interests of his PPP and it is clearly an unethical political culture which is akin to the New Order's style," Wahyudin said.

Using a helicopter, the Vice President paid a series of visits to Islamic boarding schools across East Java, including those in Madura, Sidoarjo, Probolinggo -- all known as PPP strongholds.

Sources in the province said Hamzah's visits were in the interests of the party. That was why the East Java administration did not provide him with maximum security protection during the trips, they added.

Local PPP official Ghozi Siraj denied the allegations, saying Hamzah visited the Islamic schools in his capacity as vice president in a bid to let the people know about the government's policies.--JP