Bali Nine: Jakarta's Governor wants death penalty removed from Indonesia's laws

Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Photo / AP

Top man in Jakarta says Widodo weighing up views as Bali Nine pair await transfer.

Jakarta's Governor has reportedly said President Joko Widodo is considering different views on the death penalty, including his own advice that it should be removed from Indonesia's laws.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known better as Ahok, was Widodo's deputy for two years at city hall, succeeding him when he became President.

Visiting a prison in Jakarta at the weekend, Ahok revealed he had told the President he believes the death penalty should be removed from Indonesia's laws and replaced with life in jail without remission.

"If from inside [jail] they're still controlling drugs, then execute them immediately that day," Ahok said, as quoted by local news website detik.com.

"But if people want to change, give them a chance to live.

"Maybe he can make other people more aware instead of punishing him with death ... I don't agree with the death penalty."

The Governor's comments come days away from the planned transfer of Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan to the island where Indonesia wants to execute them, together with eight other drug offenders.

Bali's chief prosecutor has said they could be taken from their cells in Kerobokan this week and taken to one of several jails on Nusakambangan, known as Indonesia's Alcatraz.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott phoned Widodo last week regarding the Bali Nine pair's case. Afterwards Abbott said the President was "carefully considering his position".

But in his most recent public comments on the matter, Widodo was sticking with his policy.

"Our stance is clear. Our laws cannot be interfered [with]," he told the business website Kontan on Friday.

Nusakambangan Prisons coordinator, Marsidin, said everything was in place for the latest prisoners to be executed.

Chan and Sukumaran were to be transferred to Nusakambangan earlier except not everything on the island was ready for the execution of 10 people at once.

The delay gave them another week to spend with family, some of whom - Sukumaran's father and siblings - returned to Australia on Saturday.

- AAP