Pastor who watched as two of the Bali Nine were executed by firing squad issues a chilling warning for Australians heading to the idyllic holiday island
- Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were sentenced to death in Bali
- They attempted to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin out of the country to Australia
- Christie Buckingham was a pastor in the prison and worked with both men
- She stood with Sukumaran right up until his final moment at his execution
- The Christian leader has now urged for more to be done to warn travellers
The pastor who witnessed the execution of the Bali Nine ringleaders has issued a chilling warning for Australian travellers heading to the tourist hotspot.
Christie Buckingham saw the horrors faced by Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan first hand while they were behind bars in Indonesia.
The pair were convicted of attempting to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin in Australia and executed in 2015.
Ms Buckingham has now issued a stark warning to jetsetters and has said it's only a matter of time before another Australian faces the firing squad.
Christie Buckingham (pictured) witnessed the execution of the Bali Nine ringleaders has issued a chilling warning for Australian travellers heading to the tourist hotspot
Myuran Sukumaran (pictured) was convicted of attempting to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin out of Indonesia and into Australia in 2005
'Australia may not have the death penalty but eight of our neighbouring countries do,' she told 7News.
'Unless the laws change, it's only a matter of time before somebody else faces the death penalty like Myuran and Andrew.'
She said Australian holidaymakers appeared to be desensitized to the risks.
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'The average person wouldn't even realise the legal drinking age in Indonesia is 21. That means any young person heading over for schoolies put themselves in a difficult situation regarding insurance.'
She said there should be caution noticed included with Etickets and inflight videos to ensure travellers understand the risks they could face if they break the laws in Indonesia.
Two Melbourne nightclub figures have been paraded in front of media following their arrest in Bali
The cocaine and scales seized by police will be used as alleged evidence against the pair
Her warnings come as two former Melbourne nightclub promoters William Cabantog, 35 and David Van Iersel, 38, were arrested in Bali for allegedly possessing 1.12 grams of cocaine.
The men, wearing orange prison clothes and shackles on their ankles and wrists, were paraded in front of media over the weekend.
The two remain in custody at Denpasar Airport.
The arrests follow a series of raids across several nightclubs and homes in Canggu.
Ms Buckingham said the pair face a tough road ahead as they will likely receive minimal assistance.
William Cabantog (right), 35 and David Van Iersel (left), 38, were arrested on Saturday in party hotspot Canggu, south-coast of the island
The cocaine seized by police will be used as alleged evidence against the pair
Ms Buckingham was a prison pastor while Sukumaran and Chan were inmates.
She worked with both of the men during their journey to rehabilitation, the Herald Sun reported.
During her time she saw Sukumaran become an accomplished artist and teacher within the prison and watched Chan follow in her footsteps to become a pastor as well.
She lobbied tirelessly to get Sukumaran and Chan off death row, but Indonesia was firm in its decision, and her pleas went unanswered.
Ms Buckingham was with Sukumaran in the minutes before he was killed.
Sukumaran and Chan (pictured) were sentenced to death for what the courts determined to be their leadership roles in the ring
'I could see the lights from the lasers of the guns turn from off to ready and I knew they were lining up their hearts because the lasers were circling their chest,' she said.
'I didn't want Myuran to see this, so I raised my right arm to allow the beams to go underneath, and I said "Myu', I'm taking a couple of steps back, now is your time to say your last words and let's start singing".'
She put her hand over his heart in the moments before she had to step out of the way, and was astonished by how calm he was.
She said he had accepted his fate, and was at peace with what was about to come.
Her last words to Sukumaran before he died were: 'You have a good heart’. I’ll see you on the other side.'
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