VP wants end to party subsidies

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