Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made an off-the-cuff statement on Wednesday about his modest working quarters at the State Palace.

"My office is not luxurious," Yudhoyono told reporters before meeting with former Indonesian Military (TNI) generals.

Yudhoyono compared his office with those of regents or regional military commanders around the country. "Regents' offices are usually far more luxurious than this. This is like the room of a battalion commander," Yudhoyono said.

Taxation documents obtained by The Jakarta Post show that according to Yudhoyono's 2011 tax return, which was submitted in the first quarter of 2012, he earned Rp 1.37 billion (US$143,000) as President and received a further Rp 107 million in income from royalties.