Jakarta – President Soeharto denied foreign allegation here Friday that the Indonesian government was allowing children to work as child laborers.

He said many young children in the country were working to follow a tradition whereby children help parents earn a living.

The Indonesian government was already adhering to a 9-yearcompulsory education system but it was a fact that many children were still working to help their parents earn a living, Soeharto said as quoted by Manpower Minister Abdul Latief.

President Soeharto said working children in the country could not be equalized as child laborers that foreign countries concerned understood, Abdul Latief said.

"I myself sold newspapers when I was seven years old," he said after meeting with the head of state to discuss the allegation.