In an interview to The Times in Jakarta, the former general also vowed to restore Indonesian institutions and the rule of law, and to rebuild the economy. His target: jobs for 50 million of the 220 million unemployed Indonesians.

"I want our country to become normal. My duty and my role as President is to restore Indonesia from a slide and a crisis, to rebuild the country," he told The Times.

Referring to the extremist Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), al-Qaeda's South East Asia branch, blamed for the Bali bombings, he said: "The main issue is no longer whether there is or is not such a formal organisation called Jemaah Islamiyah. What is important is whoever performs the act of terrorism in Indonesia, JI or any other groups.

 "We will undertake all of our effort to prevent and fight against terrorism. We will take stern action. We will not give room for terrorists to develop and perform acts in Indonesia."

"I will develop my own leadership approach and style, which is to embrace all Indonesians. I have to be persuasive when I ask everyone to play their part in this process, but I also have to take stern actions when there are violations to the rebuilding process. I have to hope I will be a true president of Indonesia.

"I think [the five-year presidential term] is enough to deliver many things to my people. So I will generate everything we have, the resources, the potential, the opportunity, " The Times quoted him as saying.

'President Yudhoyono has called the US his second home, and pledged to fix the often fractious relationship with Jakarta's southern neighbour, Australia. In foreign embassies in Jakarta, he is regarded as the most Western-friendly leader in Indonesian history,' the article said.