A political analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Syamsudin Haris, has said that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should not have over-reacted to the anti government rallies that took place recently.

"The president shouldn't have complained. He should have just responded to it casually," Syamsudin Haris told RCTI on Wednesday. The rallies were held to mark Yudhoyono's first 100 days in office during his second term. Even though the rallies were conducted peacefully, Yudhoyono said he was concerned to see demonstrators burning photos and mocking state officials.

Syamsudin said that some participants may have conducted unethical acts, but argued that rallies are needed to control policy. "If demonstrators broke the rules, police should have taken firm action," Syamsudin said.

On Tuesday, Yudhoyono raised the issue of the rallies during a discussion at Cipanas Palace. He said that freedom of expression must be maintained in a democracy, but it must be accompanied by cultural, social and legal values.

"Let's talk about good things without disturbing democracy and freedom of expression, but social, legal and social values must be kept intact," Yudhoyono said.

He was referring to rallies in which participants burned the pictures of Vice President Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, in relation to their alleged involvement in the Bank Century scandal. Some demonstrators at the January 28 rally in Jakarta also brought along a water buffalo to a protest to symbolize the president.

"What good could possibly come from rallies with big loudspeakers shouting 'SBY's a thief, Boediono is a thief, ministers are thieves,'" Yudhoyono said.