(Transcript from World News Radio)
Virgin Airlines founder Sir Richard Branson says he wants to speak to Indonesian president Joko Widodo in an effort to save those facing the death penalty in Indonesia.
Sir Richard says he has written to the president saying there is a better approach to deal with drug offenders.
Sir Richard's comments come as Prime Minister Tony Abbott continues to plead for the lives of Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
But as Amanda Cavill reports, Mr Abbott is still waiting to hear whether his request to speak again to President Widodo about the fate of the two men will be accepted.
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Sir Richard and other Global Drug Commissioners have written to Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, urging clemency for those currently on death row in Indonesia.
That includes Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
The letter, describing the death penalty as inhumane, says the drug trade remains unaffected by the threat of capital
punishment.
Sir Richard has told the ABC he has no fear that flying to Indonesia would actually harden the President's resolve to proceed with the executions.
"All we're saying is we want to be helpful and we've got a new way forward. We're willing to give the Indonesian government our time, our energy, our effort, and, you know, what we would ask is for them to consider clemency. And it's within the remit of any government to offer clemency if they wish, and that doesn't go counter to any laws."
Sir Richard says research shows it is better to treat drugs as a health issue, not a criminal issue.
He says, if it will help, he is ready to fly to Indonesia immediately.
"I'm willing to go and get on a plane today, tomorrow -- as are the other ... as are a number of the other commissioners. And what we want to do is try to be helpful. And all of our research is evidence-based. And we've studied different national approaches in great depth, and what we've learned is that treating drugs as a health issue, not as a criminal issue, it actually helps lower the number of drug deaths."
Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have a legal appeal to the state administrative court set for tomorrow, (thur, march 12) challenging President Widodo's refusal to grant the pair clemency.
But their hopes suffered a blow when another death-row inmate's similar appeal was rejected on Monday, the court ruling it had no jurisdiction over presidential decrees.
The men's lawyers will argue the pair have reformed, and the lawyers will appeal to have their case for clemency considered.
Meanwhile, the lawyers have released a previously unseen video of an interview with Sukumaran, thought to have been taken last May.
In the video, Sukumaran says he is a different person now from when he committed his crimes.
"I was very selfish, and I was thinking more about myself only. I wanted to be successful in life, and the way I went about it, I was just ... you know, the way to be successful in that sort of way, with drugs and stuff, is becoming successful or rich but by destroying somebody else. In a way, I still want to be successful, I still want to better myself, but I want to do it in a way that I can help somebody."
Australia's objection to the planned executions of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran is triggering a backlash in Indonesia.
The coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs has reminded Australia there are 10-thousand would-be asylum seekers in Indonesia.
He says, "Imagine if we let them all go to Australia."
Mr Abbott says he is not trying to pick an argument with anyone but he thinks the men's executions would be counterproductive.
"I'm in the business of trying to find constructive solutions, and we have made our position on the executions of these Australians pretty clear. Our position on Australians on death row abroad is identical to the position that Indonesia typically takes when its citizens are subject to a potential death penalty overseas, and I'm just saying today what I've been saying for weeks now, that we think these two people who've been on death row now for a decade have been thoroughly rehabilitated and reformed."
Although Indonesia is unlikely to act on its minister's comments, concern at Australia's approach to what is seen as an Indonesian issue has been on display around Jakarta.
A small protest has again been held in the capital against Mr Abbott's earlier comments that linked mercy for the men with Australia's 2004 tsunami donation to Indonesia.
About 30 protesters have dumped bags of coins outside the Australian embassy after collecting them in the so-called "Coins for Australia" protest.
The coin-collection protest was framed as a bid to repay the one billion dollars in aid.
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