TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice president candidate Ma'ruf Amin asked the Australian government not to intervene in President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's plan to release terrorist Abu Bakar Baasyir.

Ma'ruf made the statement following a protest from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Baasyir is the man convicted of masterminding the Bali Bombing, which killed dozens of Australians.

"This is our domestic affairs. I think the government has policies; some are law enforcement policies, and some humanity. Mr. Jokowi has taken that step," said Ma'ruf through written statement, Monday, January 21.

Read also: Jokowi Approves Abu Bakar Baasyir Unconditional Release: Lawyer

Ma'ruf believes that the issue of Baasyir's release will not affect diplomatic relations between the two countries, because they have their own sovereignty.

Scott Morrison said he had contacted the Indonesian government on Saturday last week. On the issue of Baasyir's release, Mr. Morrison said that "Australia’s position on this matter has not changed, we’ve always expressed the deepest of reservations," he told reporters in Melbourne as quoted by Reuters.

President Jokowi said that the decision to release Baasyir was entirely based on humanity reasons, given the man's old age of 80 years. Abu Bakar Baasyir is 80 years old.

"The main concern is humanitarian reasons. He is old," Jokowi said in Jakarta last Friday.

DEWI NURITA