Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha demanded Indonesian economist Faisal Basri provide evidence to back up his claims that the president had large savings of US dollars.

"There should be data," Julian said at the president's office on Monday, as quoted by Tribunnews.com. "What's important is that [he] had paid the tax as a taxpayer. It has been reported as it should be."

Faisal wrote on the Kompasiana blog on Saturday that Yudhoyono and some of his ministers should sell their dollar-denominated savings as an example for other people to do the same in an effort to prop up the declining rupiah.

"The president should show to his people that he's willing to sacrifice for the sake of [Indonesia's] economy and people," Faisal wrote.

The economist, quoting the state officials' wealth reports (LHKPN), said that Yudhoyono had no dollar deposits when he first took office in 2004. In 2009, his dollar deposits were $269,730, before rising to $589,188 in 2011, according to Faisal's blog.

He also said several state officials had at least $100,000 in their deposit, and that included Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan, with $626,677 in 2009.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative Priyo Budi Santoso had $195,960 in December 2009, according to Faisal, who added that Finance Minister M. Chatib Basri registered $365,506 in a report for 2012.

"Hopefully, they will be the initiator for efforts to strengthen the rupiah," Faisal said. "Hopefully, their dollars have been exchanged to rupiah.

Julian declined to confirm whether the data was correct. "I don't want to give comment on this case. But clearly the president and his family members have paid the tax," Julian said.

The rupiah has been trading at its weakest level against the dollar since April 2009, buffeted by concerns of a widening current account deficit and by global investors cutting back on Indonesian assets. The rupiah was little changed at 10,841 to the dollar on Monday, according to central bank data.