Families of the two Australians facing imminent execution in Indonesia have urged the country's president to visit Kerobokan prison, saying no-one could allow their killing if they saw the remarkable work the duo have done inside the penitentiary.

In an emotion-charged interview on Saturday, the relatives of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran revealed their devastation upon hearing Indonesia's President Joko Widodo had rejected their clemency bids.

Devastated: (from left) Michael Chan, Raji Sukamaran and her children Brintha and Chinthu in Sydney on Saturday. Photo: Fiona Morris

But, even as they recognise that death by firing squad has come much closer for the two men, they remain defiantly hopeful that their lives can still be saved with the help of the Australian government.

Advertisement

Their frustration is that Indonesia's leaders and judicial system does not appreciate that the death-row inmates now dedicate themselves to helping others. Their hope is that one day they will.

"They need to actually see what's happening inside the prison," says Chinthu Sukumaran, Myuran's younger brother.

Profound impact: Andrew Chan, left, and Myuran Sukumaran. Photo: Anta Kesuma

"Everyone who goes in there and spends a couple of minutes, they are just very impressed."

After their initial defiance and lack of cooperation after their arrest in 2005 as the "ringleaders" of the Bali Nine syndicate that attempted to smuggle eight kilograms of heroin into Australia, both Chan and Sukumaran have transformed their lives.

Their impact on Kerobokan, one of Indonesia's most notorious prisons, has also been profound.

They have introduced arts, computer, English and graphic design courses. A T-shirt printing business and art sales raise money that is ploughed back into the prison.

A first aid course, cooking lessons, even philosophy and psychology classes - all have been arranged by the two.

And both regularly counsel prisoners and outsiders against the perils of drugs.

The impact has been so great that the prison's then governor Siswanto appeared as a witness for the two men in an earlier, unsuccessful appeal against the death penalty.

"I am confident that if [Mr Joko] knows what they have done and how much they have changed, I am sure he would not have the heart to order them to be executed," said Raji Sukumaran, Myuran's mother.

Hundreds of Indonesian prisoners have been through the courses, or received counselling. Michael Chan says that given an opportunity, he would tell Mr Joko that his own citizens have been the main beneficiaries of their work.

"Not Australian, [it is] Indonesian citizens they are helping," Andrew Chan's older brother says.

"They are trying to give back to the country that I guess they tried to shame in one sense."

Lawyers for the men are planning one last judicial appeal to prevent the executions. The families have some of Indonesia's best lawyers on their team, and say they are happy with the support from the Australian government.

"I'm confident our government is doing everything they can," says Mr Chan, who was contacted by prime minister Tony Abbott on Friday.

"People from outside don't see what's been done in the background. There are things that are happening and we have to let those things take their course."

Even so, both families know that death can come at any moment .

"I'm terrified," says a despairing Mrs Sukumaran. "I've been told my son will be taken out and shot at any time. I don't know what to do. He doesn't deserve to die."

Both the Chans and the Sukumarans will return to Bali this week for the first time since news of their failed appeals.

"I'm just going to give him a hug," says Michael Chan. "There's no words."