Latest News ...

Promise to review remission decree

INDONESIA'S President had promised to review the decree that allowed the cleric who instigated the Bali bombings to receive a remission on his prison sentence, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir was given a four-and-half-month remission from his 30-month sentence, as part of Indonesian independence celebrations.

Today Mr Downer said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed disappointment to Australian ambassador David Ritchie last night that Bashir had received the remission.

"The president has said that he's very disappointed himself with the way that this decree has been implemented," Mr Downer said.

"(He) has given our ambassador and therefore our government a commitment that this whole question of the remissions will now be reviewed.

"So we very much appreciate the positive response we've had from President Yudhoyono.''

The president was not likely to be able to reverse the reduction in Bashir's sentence, Mr Downer said.

"It's unlikely, I suppose, if we applied the test of commonsense, that he would reverse what has already happened,'' he said.

"But I think we could be optimistic the President Yudhoyono won't allow further remissions to be applied to those who are convicted for being associated with the Bali bombing.''