Jakarta – Hundreds of Indonesian students lowered the national flag outside the Riau provincial governor's office in protest after President Abdurrahman Wahid warned separatist activists would be arrested, a report said Wednesday.

The protesters, who also burned tires, urged Governor Saleh Jasit to convey to the president the misery of the people in the oil-rich province on Sumatra island, the Media Indonesia newspaper said.

Riau parliament Speaker Chaidir was quoted by the daily as saying he regretted Wahid's statement and described the government as "arrogant."

"I deplore Gus Dur's [Wahid's] statement that Riau people in Jakarta have instigated the people to break away," from Indonesia, Chaidir said. "The council is not scared of Gus Dur's threat," he said.

Tabrani Rab, an intellectual who first aired the idea of an independent Riau, said Tuesday that Wahid's warning would not deter the Riau people's struggle to break away from Indonesia.

"Riau will not beg to Jakarta or the central government for independence, because Riau wants to free itself," he said.

"Malaysia could let go Singapore and Brunei in a peaceful manner. Why can't [Indonesia]?" he said, refering to the 1960's when then Malaya and Singapore were freed from British colonal rule.

The president said on Monday he had identified some of those making the calls for Riau to break away from Indonesia as coming from the Indonesian capital, but did not reveal their names.

The idea of an independent Riau has been aired by several local community leaders but there has been no armed resistance in the province.

Wahid has said his government would opt for a federal-type system to appease rising demands for independence by several regions such as Aceh, Irian Jaya and Riau.