Jakarta – Analysts and opposition politicians have criticized Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's state-of-the-nation address on Monday, labeling it "flat" and lacking in solutions needed to overcome the nation's pressing concerns, including corruption and stalled bureaucratic reforms.

Academic Komaruddin Hidayat, speaking on Metro TV, said the speech failed to inspire. "SBY's speech was normative. It did not touch on substance – it was just flat," Komaruddin said.

"I was hoping there would be a vision, a commitment and a clear idea but the speech did not give me any optimism at all. He is a good public speaker but the speech was not inspiring at all," he said.

Political communication expert Effendy Ghazali said Yudhoyono simply outlined the government's achievements and failed to take responsibility for his leadership.

Political analyst Eep Saefulloh Fatah, also speaking on Metro TV, questioned Yudhoyono's statement about religious tolerance. "How could SBY say that our unity as a nation is intact when religious tolerance is abused and the State Palace takes no concrete action over this?" Eep said. "Now that he's a president, the public expect him to actually do something instead of just making promises as if he were a mere political campaigner."

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) legislator Effendy Simbolon, the deputy head of House of Representatives Commission VII for energy and the environment, labeled the speech "narcissistic."

"SBY's speech was narcissistic and it was very normative," Effendy said. "The president did not offer any solutions regarding religious tensions even though he has the power to resolve the situation.

"When he won the election in 2004 with 60 percent of the votes, he could have achieved many breakthroughs but five years afterwards, his leadership has been normative," Effendy said. "SBY has achieved nothing special. Now we can only pray to God."

Deputy House Speaker Pramono Anung, also from the opposition PDI-P, also said the president failed to provide concrete solutions, and even failed to mention anything about the continuing spate of deadly explosions involving state subsidized liquefied petroleum gas cylinders.

Yudhoyono is scheduled to return to the House to deliver a speech about the draft state budget at 2:30 p.m.