Indonesia responds sharply to Australia's statement over tsunami aid

The Indonesian government Monday responded sharply to Australia's statement over its tsunami aid in 2004, as the execution of two Australian drug convicts looms.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Monday that the government was ready to return the aid, saying Australia was among the 56 countries giving the humanitarian assistance at that time.

"If the aid is not considered as humanitarian assistance, we are ready to pay it back. Australia is one of the 56 countries," Xinhua news ageny quoted Kalla as saying at his office.

The vice president made the statement after Australian Prime Minister Tony Abott said last week that Indonesia should remember Australia's $781 million of tsunami aid to Indonesia.

Abott has attempted to appeal to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to cancel the execution of the two Australians, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, for drug rules violation.

Indonesian people in a number of cities, such as Jakarta and Banda Aceh, collected coins Monday for returning the Australian aid, which they dubbed "coins for Abott".

Kalla said it was an expression of people's emotions against Abott's statement.

So far, there has been no sign of cancellation of the execution of the two drug convicts.