Jakarta – The government says it wants to help more people join the ranks of the nation's 90 million street vendors in order to promote public welfare and economic development.

"The level of poverty has been reduced by up to 8 percent due to the existence of street vendors," Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Syarifudin Hasan Syarifuddin said on Friday.

"Street vendors have an economic potential that should be facilitated and developed," Syarifudin said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

The minister he wanted to form a partnership with street vendors that would reduce their antagonistic relationship with public order officers, who often crack down on unauthorized vendors.

"They will be trained and organized and we will also provide a place for them to do business," Syarief said. (iwa)