The shock announcement of the plan to release Bashir, made late last week, has drawn domestic and international criticism including from Prime Minister Scott Morrison who said Australia would "obviously be very disappointed" if the early release went ahead.

Sidney Jones, the director of the Jakarta-based Institute of Policy Analysis of Conflict, said there had been strong push back from within Widodo's own inner circle over the release plan.

"There is disarray within the government, within the ranks of the President's advisers when everyone should be focused on the [presidential election] campaign," she said.

"We don't know yet whether Bashir will be freed or not."

Jones suggested that, as happened in March 2018, it may be that "hopes get raised [for Bashir's release] among his supporters and then wiser heads will prevail".

There is a growing realisation among the President's political allies that the release of Bashir could cost Widodo support from moderate Muslim and non-Muslim voters.

Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto announced at a hastily called news conference late on Monday evening that the President had asked him to coordinate a review of all aspects of the planned release.

"On the basis of humanitarian considerations, the President is very understanding of the family's request," Wiranto said.

"However, of course other aspects still need to be considered such as the aspects of Pancasila ideology, the unitary state of Indonesia, legal aspects. [We] cannot [do things] carelessly but we need to consider other aspects. Therefore, the President has ordered related officials to immediately conduct a deeper and comprehensive assessment to respond the request."

Pancasila (five principles) is Indonesia's state ideologyand is designed to promote religious and political pluralism.

Supporters of Bashir say he will not commit to the principles of Pancasila ahead of a possible release, something he is legally required to do to receive parole.

His lawyers say he will not admit guilt in his involvement in terror training camps, which is legally required before a pardon [grasi] from the President could be granted.

Bashir was the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah, an extremist group that the bombers who attacked nightclubs on Bali in 2002, killing 202 people including 88 Australians, belonged to. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2011 for inciting terrorism and financing an Aceh-based terrorist cell and has served nine years of a 15-year sentence.

Widodo on Friday said he had agreed to release 80-year-old Bashir on humanitarian grounds. The announcement came during campaigning for a presidential election due in April in which opponents of Widodo have tried to discredit him as insufficiently Islamic.

Andre Rosiade, a spokesman for presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, said the opposition supported the release of Bashir on humanitarian grounds. He criticised the President for being indecisive and mishandling the case.

Behind the scenes, Canberra has been in close contact with Jakarta since the announcement of the release.

Morrison said he had personally conveyed the Australian government's "strong views" about the matter to Jakarta.

"It's their justice system and they run it so there are calls they have to make there," he said.

"Respect must be shown for the lives that were lost. And it's important that this character doesn't get the opportunity to spread and incite hatred."

Relations between Canberra and Jakarta have been strained in recent months after Morrison floated a plan to move Australia's embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a plan he subsequently watered down.

The friends and families of victims of the bombings have also harshly criticised the possible release of Bashir.

The firebrand cleric was arrested almost immediately after the 2002 Bali bombings and served 25 months in jail for relatively minor offences relating to the bombing, before his conviction was over turned on appeal.

with AP