Bali Nine death penalty 'barbaric': Alan Jones

Radio host Alan Jones has labelled as "barbaric" Indonesia's use of the death penalty, as two Australians convicted of smuggling heroin launch a last-ditch legal action begging for clemency.

The 2GB radio host, speaking as a panellist on ABC's Q&A, made his remarks after a question from a friend of Bali Nine member Myuran Sukumaran.

"I find it incomprehensible that these people can't yield to pleas for clemency," Jones said.

"Someone has to get on the phone to this bloke, (Indonesian President Joko Widodo) and simply say, 'Well, you do what you like, but we gave you a billion dollars (in disaster relief aid) when you were hit by the (2004 Boxing Day) tsunami.'"

Jones added that the Australian Federal Police acted with "shame" in alerting Indonesian authorities to the Bali Nine's plan to import heroin.

Sukumaran and fellow Bali Nine member Andrew Chan have made a final appeal to Mr Joko but he has stated he is unlikely to grant clemency to any convicted drug smugglers.