REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DENPASAR -- As Indonesia is set to execute two Bali Nine members, Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has urged his people to remain calm over Australia's threat to boycott the resort island's tourism industry.
"Please remain calm. It (the execution) will not be a problem, and I believe that it will not badly affect Bali's tourism industry. This case is related to our nation's sovereignty and dignity," he told journalists here Monday.
"The Australian Government is expected to act maturely. I hope the Australian Government and people will understand it is a legal matter. We cannot do anything," he said.
When asked about some sections in social media networks in Australia urging fellow citizens to boycott Bali's tourism industry if Myuran Sukumaran (33) and Andrew Chan (31) are executed, Mangku Pastika said he did not believe that Bali will be boycotted.
"It is only a discourse, I don't believe it. If it is (the boycott is) true, then it's their right to do so. However, every country has its own sovereignty, respect, and dignity," he added.
According to Made Mangku Pastika, former chief of the National Narcotics Agency, the Australian Government will not boycott Indonesia for matters related to drug trafficking.
"Drugs are dangerous for us and for our generations," he said, adding that drug trafficking has cost Indonesia trillions of rupiah in the form of material and human losses.
According to the Denpasar District Court's spokesman, Hasoloan Sianturi, Myuran's and Andrew Chan's request for a review of their cases could not be sent to the Supreme Court as they did not meet all formal requirements.
The two were arrested along with seven other Australians when they were attempting to smuggle 8.3 kilograms of heroin from Bali to Sydney, Australia, in 2005. President Joko Widodo had recently rejected Sukumaran's clemency petition.
In response to Indonesia's firm decision to go ahead with the Bali Nine's execution, Canberra has threatened Jakarta, as indicated in Prime Minister Tony Abbott's statement.
Abbott was quoted as saying by ABC that his government "will find ways to make its displeasure known if the executions are carried out."
Indonesia had recently executed six drug convicts as part of its serious efforts to combat drug trafficking in the country.
The six convicts were Namaona Denis of Malawi, Marco Archer Cardoso Moreira of Brazil, Daniel Enemuo, alias Diarrassouba Mamadou, of Nigeria, Ang Kiem Soei, alias Kim Ho, alias Ance Tahir, of the Netherlands, Rani Andriani, alias Melisa Aprilia, of Indonesia, and Tran Thi Bich Hanh of Vietnam.
Vice-President Jusuf Kalla recently assured that the execution of foreign convicts for drug offenses will not affect Indonesia's bilateral ties with their respective countries.
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