Jakarta threatens Canberra with 'human tsunami' of refugees

An Indonesian minister has warned his country could release 10,000 asylum seekers bound for Australia if politicians here keep griping about the impending Bali Nine executions.

"If Canberra keeps doing things that displease Indonesia, Jakarta will surely let the illegal immigrants go to Australia," Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, during a speech aired on Metro TV.

"If they are let go to Australia, it will be like a human tsunami."

The former Navy chief used the tsunami reference in response to Tony Abbott asking Indonesia to reciprocate for the $1 billion in aid money Australia delivered after the 2004 tsunami.

Mr Tedjo, a controversial figure in Indonesia, said he wanted to remind Canberra that Jakarta had been working hard to prevent asylum seekers attempting to travel to Australia by boat, Fairfax Media reports.

Mr Tedjo made the comments while delivering a speech on nationhood at the School of Law at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

"We respect other countries' legal systems, Australia must learn about ethics here in University of Gadjah Mada," he said.