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Posted: 2015-01-25 12:46:44
Former head of Indonesia's national narcotics agency, Made Mangku Pastika, says Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran shouldn't be executed in Bali, "just somewhere else".

Former head of Indonesia's national narcotics agency, Made Mangku Pastika, says Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran shouldn't be executed in Bali, "just somewhere else". Photo: Jason Childs

Bali's pro-death penalty governor doesn't want Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran executed on his island, believing it may spoil the harmonious climate.

Made Mangku Pastika, a former head of Indonesia's national narcotics agency, testified against members of the Bali Nine in a 2007 challenge of their death sentences.

On death row: Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

On death row: Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

Then, he described drug traffickers as "mass murderers" who were deserving of death.

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Sukumaran and Chan have now been denied presidential clemency and only a last-ditch legal bid stands between them and the firing squad.

Indonesia has yet to set a time and place for the executions.

But General Pastika says they shouldn't be carried out in Bali.

"If it's possible, please not in Bali, just somewhere else," he told reporters, without giving his reasons.

Asked if it was for the sake of Bali's people, he said: "I think they want Bali to keep in harmony, remain safe, remain peaceful. So if possible, not in Bali, please." Aussies still make up the bulk of tourists to the so-called Island of the Gods.

Indonesia is awaiting data to confirm it had a record one million visits from Australians in 2014, the vast majority of them to Bali.

The Australian families of Chan, 31, and Sukumaran, 33, will also arrive in Bali this week.

Both families spoke on Saturday about their anguish for the Sydney men, who they believe have reformed and deserved to have their sentences commuted to life.

"I've been told my son will be taken out and shot at any time," Raji Sukumaran, mother of Myuran, told reporters.

"I don't know what to do."

Both families said they trusted Prime Minister Tony Abbott and the Australian government would do all they could to stop the executions.

However, diplomatic efforts failed to save citizens of The Netherlands and Brazil, who were among six drug offenders executed last week.

Of those six, five were shot at Nusakambangan, an island prison in Central Java known as "Indonesia's Alcatraz".

AAP

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