Suherdjoko, Wonosobo – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told protesting subdistrict heads Thursday that he would not heed their demands for longer terms of office, and added that such a move would be against the law.

Speaking during a dialog with farmers in Siwuran village, Central Java, Yudhoyono said limiting office terms was a good reform measure. A subdistrict head can only be in office for a maximum of two terms of six years each.

"In this case, if they (subdistrict heads) came to Jakarta to demand longer office terms, up to 10 years, it's clearly against the law," Yudhoyono said.

He reminded the subdistrict heads that their term in office remained longer than his own as well as that of governors, regents and mayors (five years). "Such things have been regulated by law...," he said.

Yudhoyono urged the local administration leaders not to fixate on extra powers. "Leaders should not talk about power. It's embarrassing. Staying long in a position (will not mean anything) if they cannot give the best for the people. As leaders, they should think about what's best for the people," he asserted.

On Wednesday, thousands of local administration chiefs held protests outside the Home Ministry and the House of Representatives, demanding a revision of the 2005 Village Administration Regulation and 2004 Regional Government Law.

Apart from an extension of their time in office, the village heads also told the government to allow them to become political party executives and urged the central government to finance village and subdistrict elections.

During Wednesday's protest, a spokesman from the Indonesia Village Administration Association, Abdul Hadi, told Kompas daily that the government should allow local leaders to become political party executives. "If Vice President (Jusuf Kalla) can be a political party leader, why can't we?" he asked.

He expressed disappointment with the central government because most village leaders had an inadequate benefit package, even though they were the ones who remained "close to the people".

However, Yudhoyono said the government would listen to their demands. "If they want better welfare and better administration management, these things we can consider. They are part of the overall government. And if they've gone to Jakarta for that, it's ok. I just want them to hurry home so their village administrations can run as usual," he said.

Responding to the farmers during the dialog, he also insisted that the government had continued to pay attention to farmers's needs.

"It's not true if people say I don't care about farmers. I was born in Pacitan, a poor and arid area. I can make friends with farmers and fishermen. I come from an ordinary family. That's why I care about them all," Yudhoyono explained.

He said his administration's consideration for farmers was evident in the lowering of fertilizer prices due to a government subsidy, which rose from Rp 2.5 trillion to Rp 3 trillion last year.

While in Wonosobo, the President signed a plaque for the Dieng Plateau tourism development agency, which is hoping to make the area the province's top tourist draw.