Ekip
24 February 2017•Update: 24 February 2017
By P Prem Kumar
KUALA LUMPUR
Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry has been instructed to put diplomatic ties with Pyongyang under review after criticisms of the country’s investigations into the death of the North Korean leader’s estranged half-brother in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters Friday that he instructed the ministry to present an assessment report on bilateral relations at a ministerial Cabinet meeting next week.
The death last week of Kim Jong-nam -- the older half-brother of Kim Jong-un -- in Kuala Lumpur has overshadowed previously solid relations between Malaysia and the reclusive state.
On Monday, Malaysia announced that it had summoned the North Korean ambassador, Kang Chol, over his accusation that the government had something to conceal and was in cohorts with Pyongyang's “enemies”.
"The North Korean ambassador has been less-than-diplomatic and the North Korean government are not seen to reprimand him just yet," Hamidi underlined in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
"In this matter, the diplomatic ties must be respected, they should use more diplomatic language… the Malaysian agencies have acted with full dignity and diplomacy. Do not accuse us of working with any third country to confuse the facts."
He said a decision on relations would be taken after deliberation in the Cabinet on the Foreign Ministry's assessment.
"We hope it [bilateral ties] can be maintained… but at the same time, they must respect the laws of our country and respect the professionalism of our experts," he said.
He assured that Malaysia is conducting the investigations into the death professionally and without any influence.
"We are among the countries which are strict about these things, don't play reverse psychology... we do not want to be enemies with any country, but at the same time, we will also not accept accusations that we are in cohorts in this murder.”
Malaysian police announced earlier Friday their findings that a highly toxic nerve agent known as VX was used to kill Kim.
Earlier this week, Police Chief Khalid Abu Bakar said two foreign women held over the suspected killing were trained murderers taught to coat their hands in poison and wipe them on Kim’s face.
