Bali 9 executions: Joko Widodo ignored deputy, SBY and rival

In carrying out the executions, President Joko Widodo ‘ignored advice of his Vice-President and his immediate predecessor’.

ATT KELVIN..Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, left, stands with Joko Widodo ahead of his swearing in as Indonesia's seventh president at Parliament in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

In carrying out this week’s batch of executions of convicted drug ­offenders, Indonesian President Joko Widodo ignored the advice of his Vice-President, as well as his former presidential rival and his immediate presidential predecessor, according to well-informed Jakarta sources.

Vice-President Jusuf Kalla was concerned at the reputational damage Indonesia would suffer and was worried that all proper legal processes should be seen to be observed. He argued privately for a stay of execution and has told confidants in Jakarta that he believed there was a case for clemency, according to Jakarta sources.

The man Mr Joko beat for the presidency, former general Prabowo Subianto, twice wrote to the President and urged him to “postpone indefinitely” the executions.

Mr Prabowo also offered the President his political support if he took such ­action. This could have been impor­tant as Megawati Sukar­no­putri, the head of the President’s political party, PDI-P, had come out in favour of the executions, demanding to know why they were being delayed.

Several senior Australians ­approached the former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, asking him to intervene with Mr Joko on behalf of the two convicted Australian drug smugglers, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.

PICTURES: Journey of the Bali Two

It is believed that Dr Yudhoyono replied that he understood Australia’s concerns, but that he supported the death penalty in principle and felt he could not intervene against the President.

However, Jakarta sources told The Weekend Australian Dr Yudhoyono did convey a message to Mr Joko, to the effect that the way the process was proceeding was damaging to Indon­esia.

Although under considerable political pressure from the former president, Ms Megawati, Mr Joko took the decision himself not to ­review any of the clemency pleas.

Jakarta sources said the President had since expressed some dissatisfaction with the advice members of the Indonesian legal system had given him.

Some sources speculated that Mr Joko might now substantially slow the rate of executions.

Eighteen people have been ­executed this year and there are a further 50 on death row.

The Abbott government has over several months given detailed consideration to how to respond to the Indonesian actions.

A taskforce of senior officers within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade examined all options­ and consulted widely with other departments and agencies.

The matter has been discussed several times at meetings of cabinet’s National Security Committee. In the wake of the executions, Tony Abbott and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced that Australia’s ambassador to Jakarta, Paul Grigson, would be recalled for consultations. Canberra has also suspended ministerial-level contacts. A scheduled dialogue between the countries’ foreign ministers is now likely to be postponed until the second half of the year.

Similarly, it is now inconceivable that Mr Joko could visit Australia for the regular leaders’ dialogue or that the Prime Minister could visit Indonesia any time soon.

Instead, both the foreign ministers’ dialogue and the leaders’ dialogue will now likely take place on the sidelines of a multilateral meeting, either at the UN or in the region.

At the same time, both Canberra and Jakarta want normal co-operation on matters such as trade and security to continue.

Depending on the strength of Australian community feeling, Mr Grigson could return to Jakarta within one or two months.