‘No one responds well to threats’

Strongest words yet from PM Tony Abbott on Indonesian plans to execute the 'Bali nine' Australian duo. Sky News

Remember the aid ... Tony Abbott flagged that future relations with Indonesia would be fractured if the executions went ahead. Photo by Andrew Taylor/G20 Australia via Getty Images Source: Getty Images

INDONESIA'S Foreign Ministry has reportedly rebuffed Prime Minister Tony Abbott's statement that the nation should remember Australia's Boxing Day tsunami aid in its deliberations over the fate of Bali Nine duo Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

Foreign Ministry spokeman Arrmanatha Nasir told reporters in Jakarta he hadn't studied Mr Abbott's comments on the tsunami aid but he understood he had made a linkage to "the issue now in Indonesia".

"There's a saying in Indonesia, 'orang akan terlihat warna sebenarnya,' (people will show their true colours)," he said.

"So I hope this does not reflect, the statements made, the true colours of Australians."

Diplomatic drama and family tragedy ... as negotiations continued at the highest levels today, Myuran Sukumaran's mother Raji visited him at Kerobokan prison. Pictrue: AFP PHOTO / SONNY TUMBELAKA Source: AFP

Mr Nasir said he didn't want to speculate on Australia's next moves.

"But what I know is this, threats are not part of diplomatic language ... Threats are not part of diplomatic language and from what I know, no one responds well to threats."

The rebuke comes after Mr Abbott made his strongest stance yet against the executions, urging Indonesia to remember all of the assistance Australia gave to the country after the Boxing Day tsunami.

Intense media interest ... Andrew Chan's borther Michael also visited his brother today. Picture: AFP PHOTO / SONNY TUMBELAKA Source: AFP

The Prime Minister this morning said Australia would feel "grievously let down" if Indonesia proceeded with sending the two Bali Nine ringleaders to face the firing squad.

"Let's not forget that a few years ago when Indonesia was struck by the Indian Ocean tsunami Australia sent $1 billion worth of assistance, we sent a contingent of our armed forces to help in Indonesia with humanitarian relief," Mr Abbott said.

"Australians lost their lives in that campaign to help Indonesia.

The eye of the storm ... Indonesian police stand guard in front of Kerobokan prison in Denpasar. Picture: AFP PHOTO / SONNY TUMBELAKA Source: AFP

"I would say to the Indonesian people and the Indonesian government that we in Australia are always there to help you and we hope that you might reciprocate in this way at this time. "

Mr Abbott also flagged that future relations with Indonesia would be fractured if the executions went ahead.

"I don't want to prejudice the best possible relations with a very important friend and neighbour," the Prime Minister said.

"But I've got to say that we cant just ignore this type of thing, if the perfectly reasonable representations that we are making to Indonesia are ignored by them.

INDONESIA: 'We're ready to carry out the executions'

DEATH ISLAND: The business of death on Nusakambangan

Tough stance ... Prime Minister Tony Abbott, pictured today, has reminded Indonesia about the billions of dollars Australians gave to the country in the wake of the Boxing Day tsunami. Picture: Chris McCormack. Source: News Corp Australia

"We are doing no more for our citizens than Indonesia routinely does for its own citizens. And if it is right and proper for Indonesia to make these representations, if it is right and proper for other countries to heed Indonesia's representations, it is right and proper for us to make the representations and for them to be heeded."

The Prime Minister described Chan and Sukumaran as "thoroughly reformed characters" and said it would be an error for Indonesia to execute them when they were helping so many other drug offenders rehabilitate.

"It is much better to use these people than to kill them," Mr Abbott said.

"Yes they have done a terrible thing, yes they should spend a long, long time in jail but they don't deserve to die."

A 3D flyover of the final journey for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran from Bali to Nusa Kambangan prison where they'll be housed before their execution.

Mr Abbott said the latest development in the saga, in which the transfer of Chan and Sukumaran to a separate island where they will be executed was delayed, was an "encouraging sign".

But he said the Australian government would not cease its representations to the Indonesian government until it was confirmed the two men would not be executed.

"It might be an encouraging straw in wind and let's hope that Indonesia has realised that its own best values and its own best interests are served by not going ahead with these executions but in the end all we can do is keep making representations," he said.

"We will be making our displeasure known. We will be letting Indonesia know in absolutely unambiguous terms that we feel grievously let down.

Preparations ... Coffins and cells are ready for the condemned inmates on Indonesia's execution island, though their transportation has been delayed. Source: News Corp Australia

EXECUTIONS COULD LEAD TO JAIL VIOLENCE

Mr Abbott's plea comes as the spiritual adviser for Andrew Chan warned if Indonesia goes ahead with the executions of he and Mayan Sukumaran, it could lead to more violence and unrest in the prison system.

Jeff Hammond, a Jakarta-based pastor who has been counselling Chan for four years, said proceeding with the death sentence would send a message to other criminals on death row that there was no point of rehabilitation because the outcome would still be the same.

He said many of the inmates looked up to the two men and at least nine prisoners had offered to take Chan's place in front of the firing squad.

"Every inmate on death row, now none of them has any hope of mercy or rehabilitation so the impact could be that you could have a situation where you might have more violence and uncertainty in the prison," Mr Hammond told ABC radio.

"The impact of this particular decision and if the executions go ahead could be actually quite dangerous in the prison.

"Other prisoners on life also have no hope that their sentence might be downgraded to 20 years to given them hope that one day they might be able to get out of prison."

Mr Hammond said he had been struck by the remarkable transformation Chan had made over his ten years in an Indonesian jail.

Remarkable transformation ... Andrew Chan is escorted by an Indonesian prison guard upon arrival at Denpasar district court in Bali, Indonesia in 2006. Pic: AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati Source: AP

He said that both the men had a profound impact on the prison and their fellow inmates and that nine other prisoners had offered to take Chan's place in front of the firing squad.

Mr Hammond said Chan was "ready to meet his maker" if it comes to that but was concerned about the firing squad.

"What if not a peaceful execution, what if it's only a partial death and they have to come and blow his brains out," he said.

Indonesia yesterday announced it had delayed the transfer of Chan and Sukumaran to another island prison.

Making plans ... Indonesian police leaving Wijaya Pura pier after visiting Nusakambangan prison in Cilacap, Indonesia on Tuesday. Photo by Ardiles Rante Source: Supplied

The men will now get more time with their families.

There is still no time-frame for when they are due to be executed.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said a last-chance appeal by their legal team was set down for February 24 and she hoped that Indonesia would respect the court process and allow that to go ahead.

Lawyers will appeal the decision to reject clemency for the two men.

Ms Bishop said this morning Australia would continue to make representations to the Indonesian government for "as long as we have to".

Last chance ... Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia would continue to make representations to the Indonesian government for "as long as we have to". Pic: AFP PHOTO/MARK GRAHAM Source: AFP

"There is also a legal challenge underway on the 24th February where the lawyers have an appeal. I would urge the Indonesian government to not take any steps towards the execution while those legal avenues are underway," Ms Bishop told ABC radio.

"We are asking Indonesia to show the same mercy as they seek to be shown to their nationals on death row in foreign countries.

"We believe the rehabilitation of these two men is remarkable. It is something the Indonesian government can be proud of and it speaks volumes of the Indonesian prison system."

LAMBIE: "PULL THE BLOODY FOREIGN AID"

Senator Jacqui Lambie is calling on the federal government to scrap foreign aid to "two-faced" Indonesia if the pair are executed.

Senator Lambie said Prime Minister Tony Abbott had to "put his foot down" and "pull the bloody foreign aid".

"My heart goes out to their families and friends, there is no doubt about that. I know if it was my mates or my sons I would certainly be feeling the pinch. I'd remind Australia that they give $500 million in foreign aid to Indonesia," Senator Lambie said.

"If you want to talk about executions we lost 88 people in the Bali bombs over there. And you know, those people that were part of that outfit are now walking out on the streets.

"Two-faced" ... Senator Jacqie Lambie said Prime Minister Tony Abbott had to "put his foot down" and "pull the bloody foreign aid". Source: Supplied

"I find Indonesia to be extremely two faced, in the way they're going around doing things. They're over in other countries begging for leniency for their own people on the death penalty, yet they're about to take two of ours out.

"I'd ask Tony Abbott to put his foot down, start using a bit of manly influence, and see what he's made of.

"Why the hell are we giving Indonesia $500 million? Why are we doing that? Nobody will answer my question

"Pull the bloody foreign aid."

Sad pilgrimage ... Michael Chan leaves after visiting his brother in Kerobokan prison in Denpasar. AFP PHOTO / SONNY TUMBELAKA Source: AFP

GLIMMER OF HOPE

Meanwhile, Supreme Court judge Lex Lasry believes there is now a "glimmer of hope" that the pair can avoid execution.

Speaking at an early morning vigil for Chan and Sukumaran at Melbourne's County Court this morning Justice Lasry said the decision to postpone the men's transfer from Kerobokan prison gave them new hope.

"There is time now available to everybody involved in this case to press their case a bit harder," he said.

"Most of all there is time now for the case to be pressed in relation to the rehabilitation and redemption of these two men. It is an overwhelming case.

"As a judge I've sentenced a number of people over the years. The topic that appears in judicial sentencing that is dealt with according to the evidence in the case is the topic of prospects of rehabilitation.

Convicted ... Andrew Chan (L), and Myuran Sukumaran (R) are escorted by police to prison after their verdicts were announced in Denpasar on February 14, 2006. Pic: AFP PHOTO / FILES / JEWEL SAMAD Source: Supplied

"And you know, and I know, that you won't see people with stronger prospects of rehabilitation than Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan."

Justice Lasry said the spare time also gave the Australian government a chance to continue to make the case to the Indonesian government to spare the men's lives.

"Without over stating it, there is a glimmer of hope that the execution of Myuran and Andrew can be avoided and they can be given a chance to live," he said.

"And the chance to live is a chance for them in Kerobokan prison for some years to come, to indeed serve the country of Indonesia, to assist the prisoners in that country.

"To divert prisoners away from difficulty, drugs and trouble. To set the example that they've set over the last nine years, of what can be achieved even under the most adverse circumstances when they, as they have, set out to live the best life that they can.

Glimmer of hope ... Myuran Sukumaran walks inside Kerobokan Jail. Pic: Lukman S. Bintoro. Pic Lukman S. Bintoro Source: News Corp Australia

"Let's hope that with more work, with more reasoned argument, and some more time on our side, the lives of these men can be spared."

Justice Lasry, a staunch anti-death penalty campaigner, said he had visited the men twice in the past three weeks.

He first met them in 2006 and said he had visited simply as a friend.

"I can tell you that they and their families are enormously grateful and moved by the support that they know is being offered to them from here."

Justice Lasry was speaking to hundreds of Melbourne's legal fraternity who turned out to the morning vigil.

Magistrates, judges and lawyers joined in a show of support for the men.

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