THE Indonesian legal system was yesterday accused of placing a greater value on marijuana than human life, after the spiritual leader of the Bali bombers had his sentence, already regarded by many Australians as too short, reduced.

Friends and relatives of the Bali victims said the 4 1/2-month reduction in Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir’s 30-month sentence devalued the lives of the 88 Australian who died in the 2002 bombings.

Supporters of Schapelle Corby — who is ineligible for a remission because she is appealing against her 20-year sentence for trafficking 4.1kg of marijuana — claimed it demonstrated the dysfunction and injustice of the Indonesian system.

The reduction in Bashir’s terrorism conspiracy sentence was one of 2000 remissions announced as part of Indonesian Independence Day celebrations. Another 19 men convicted over the bombings also had their sentences of up to 16 years reduced by three months.

Australia had protested to the Indonesian Government before yesterday’s announcement.

For Erik de Haart of Sydney rugby league club Coogee Dolphins, the leniency shown to Bashir for his role in killing six of his mates, when contrasted with thelength of Corby’s sentence, was too much.

“Everyone is saying 20 years is too much for her. Well, what about this Bashir, he kills all these people and still has his too- short sentence reduced. The whole thing is just heartbreaking,” Mr de Haart said.

Brian Deegan, whose son Joshua died in the bombings, said the sentence reduction was an insult to families still grieving. He said even before the cuts thebombers were sentenced to an average of four days’ prison time per head of the 202 who died in the Sari Club and Paddy’s bar.

“I just find it obnoxious, repulsive. I always thought life was more valuable than that, but it appears that it’s not,” Mr Deegan said.

Dedi Sutardi, head of Cipinang penitentiary in Jakarta, where Bashir is being held, dismissed Canberra’s objections, saying Bashir deserved his remission for good behaviour.

“All he does in prison is devote himself to religious service,” he said.

Kay Danes from the Foreign Prisoners Support Service said perhaps Corby needed to engage Bashir’s lawyer. “It is just unbelievable, shameful.”