JAKARTA, March 28 (Xinhua)net -- The Timor Socialist Party of EastTimor has urged the upcoming government to prioritize the handlingof unemployment and economic problems.

"To maintain security and prevent unforeseen social upheavals, the government should be able to provide protection and job opportunities for its people. So, the state economy will grow normally," the party's secretary general Avelino M.C. da Silva wasquoted by the Jakarta Post Thursday as saying in Dili, capital of East Timor.

Citing no official data on the number of jobless in the 800,000-populated new country, Avelino predicted that at least 30 percent of the population are unemployed.

Most of the local workforce are jobless due to the limited vacancies and lack of business capital on their part.

"All jobs are controlled by UNTAET (the United Nations Administration for East Timor). Here, job opportunities are hard to find, while people have to work hard to fulfill their daily needs," said Victor Diaz Quintas, head of Fuiloro-Lospalos area inthe eastern part of East Timor.

He hopes local authorities will manage to tackle the unemployment problem after the definitive government is formed in the next few months.

East Timor will be declared a full independent state on May 20 this year.

A similar grievance was expressed by head of Bahu village Francisco da Costa in Baucau regency. He said unemployment tops the social problems in the territory.

In his speech on Monday, Alexander "Xanana" Gusmao, the strongest presidential candidate for East Timor, pledged to improve the people's welfare, should he win the election next month.

"We have to start development from the low level. Hopefully, between 15 and 20 years the people will be able to have their own houses. There will be no jobless and our economy will be better," he added.