VP wants end to party subsidies

JAKARTA: Vice President Hamzah Haz called on Thursday for the government to stop subsidizing political parties, and to use the money instead for national education.

"With the current multiparty system, in which 180 political parties have registered for the 2004 elections, the government should no longer provide subsidies," Hamzah said as quoted by the chairman of the Mathna'ul Anwar youth group, Son Haji Ujaji, who met with the Vice President here.

Hamzah said the absence of government subsidies would improve the self-reliance of political parties.

"Self-reliant parties will become national assets that benefit all the people. It would be better if the subsidy was used for national education," Hamzah said.

Each political party receives Rp 1,000 annually from the government for each vote it received in the 1999 general election. -- Antara