Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Febriamy Hutapea – Five former military leaders attended a meeting in Jakarta on Thursday amid the controversy surrounding President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's allegation that a high-ranking Army officer had attempted to use his influence to prevent the families of soldiers from voting for a presidential candidate whose name begins with the letter "S."

The five retired military heavyweights were former Armed Forces chief Endriartono Sutarto, former Army chief Ryamizard Ryacudu, former Navy chief Bernard Ken Sondakh, former Air Force chief Chappy Hakim and former Navy spokesman Mualimin Santosa.

The first four officers were the most senior officers during the 2004 general and presidential elections, and had allegedly allowed retired Lt. Gen. Muhammad Yasin and several active high-ranking Army officers to support Yudhoyono through a "mass organization" called Barisan Nasional.

Serving officers are currently banned from participating in the election and even from voting.

The men met at the Y-Grill restaurant, on the third floor of Wisma Nusantara Sudirman. All five denied the meeting was in response to Yudhoyono's allegation, saying that the meeting was a military reunion.

"When we were active soldiers, we used to go to a restaurant together at least once a month. But now, after retiring, we still meet, but just once a year," Ryamizard said.

Asked why they had met amid the controversy over the military's political neutrality, Ryamizard said that they did not consider Yudhoyono's comment controversial.

Endriartono said that the military's political neutrality was a final commitment for them.

"No retired soldiers can use the military structure for political maneuvers," he said. He added that they would not give any suggestions to the Army chief as a result of the meeting.

Retired Adm. Bernard Sondakh called on citizens and political figures not to create an issue out of the military's political neutrality.

"I am sure there is no such movement [as alleged by Yudhoyono] within the military, because the military is always trying to improve and become a better organization," Bernard said.

The Great Indonesia Movement Party, or Gerindra, the political vehicle of Prabowo Subianto, the former head of the Army's Special Forces, on Thursday called on politicians to stop using the military and police as part of their political maneuvering ahead of the legislative and presidential elections.