Ezra Sihite – Former military general and founder of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto on Monday commended President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for his management of Indonesia's economy.

"I am grateful that Mr. President was willing to give us a briefing. I think we have to admit that under his tenure, the management of our economy has been relatively good," Prabowo said Monday following a two-hour meeting with Yudhoyono.

Prabowo said that Yudhoyono explained the government's economic programs and added that the meeting was part of the president's efforts to reach out to political party leaders and disseminate his administration's policies further.

He noted that he and Yudhoyono shared a lot in common, especially in regard to corruption eradication efforts. "Fortunately, the government has been listening to our critiques. Because of that, we have in the past three to four years seen many problems solved," he said.

When asked about his presidential aspirations, Prabowo frankly stated that he wished to replace Yudhoyono as the nation's leader. "God willing, I do want to be his successor, but it's up to God and the Indonesian people," he said.

Previously, analysts have said that Prabowo inadvertently severed his ties with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) by glorifying his role in last year's Jakarta gubernatorial election, thereby damaging his chances of being selected by Megawati as her party's candidate.

Political experts have noted that Prabowo may have to persuade Yudhoyono to allow his Democratic Party, which won 20.8 percent of the vote in the 2009 election, to support him in order for him to make a successful bid for the presidency.