Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Zaky Pawas – Amid rising tension, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday issued a strong defense of the controversial Bank Century bailout in a speech to military officials.

"The objectives [of the bailout policy] were to avert a banking crisis in our economy and to prevent an economic crisis from happening like in 1998," Yudhoyono told 158 top military officials from around the country.

The leaders were gathered at the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) headquarters in Cilangkap for a meeting to evaluate the TNI's performance during 2009 and prepare strategies to face threats ahead.

Yudhoyono also said the government would fully support the ongoing House of Representatives inquiry into the bailout, but he urged the legislature to stay away from any efforts to manipulate the situation for their own political interests, including efforts to impeach him.

"If the purpose of the inquiry is kept straight, then citizens will also be calm," Yudhoyono said.

Yudhoyono's speech came three days before protests planned to mark his 100th day in office and aimed at calling for his ouster for "failing to improve the people's welfare."

Siti Zuhro, a political observer from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said he believed Yudhoyono's speech was designed to enlist the military's support.

"The president is aware that the people, especially urban people, understand politics well. Therefore, he is seeking the TNI's help to remain behind him in facing the various political problems and to safeguard the stability of development," he said.

Siti said that instead of trying to enlist support through speeches, "what the president should really do is to take real action, considering that the political condition is currently at an uncertain point."

During the speech, Yudhoyono called on the military to work with other law enforcement agencies to provide security and stability, saying that's what was required to bring all of the government's programs over the next five years to fruition.

"I hope the military could contribute to the programs," Yudhoyono said. "In order for the three agendas to go well, we need a safe and stable domestic environment."

The president also described his meeting last Thursday with heads of seven state bodies in Bogor, at which the topic of his impeachment was raised.

"At the meeting, we agreed that although the national situation could be very dynamic, national stability must be kept, whether political stability, social or security, it must be stable," Yudhoyono said.

"For what? So that all national development programs can be brought to shape, can be enhanced. We need citizens to feel safe to engage in their everyday lives."

Monday's speech touched heavily on political issues, deviating from the president's usual comments to the military, which are generally limited to defense-related issues.

However, military spokesman Air Vice Marshall Sagom Tamboen said the officers did not find it strange that the president talked about political issues with them.

"It doesn't mean that we would be involved in politics. We need to know the real political situation, so we can take the correct position and make anticipations," Sagom said. "The TNI must know the political stance of the government. But in operation, the TNI is regulated by the law."

Last month, a day before protests planned to mark Anticorruption Day on Dec. 8 that allegedly included efforts to undermine Yudhoyono's presidency, the president also came out strongly in a speech in which he declared "jihad" against corruption.

Ahead of Thursday's rallies, Military Chief Gen. Djoko Santoso said the TNI would be ready to assist the police if requested.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said 10,000 officers were being prepared for the day.

Boy said personnel would be deployed to safeguard several main areas where protest rallies were expected, including the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, the State Palace and the House of Representatives.

Students and activists have said that massive rallies were expected in cities and towns around the country on Thursday.