Thursday, March 02, 2017

Much happening in Malaysia? VX? or pesticide? Deportation of suspects? No more visa on arrival for ...?

So many interesting happenings following the death of a North Korean man in KL International Airport - he happened to be the step-brother of North Korea's leader...

C4 for a Mongolian...now VX for a North Korean...Well, a good distraction for our UMNO-BN government...if not we may all still be concerned with price hikes, 1MDB, Billions in PM's account, corruption of public servants, death in custody, etc... Opposition problems also seem to have fallen out of focus..

But, in this murder...allegedly committed by 2 women, a Vietnamese and an Indonesians... Hired women assassins?

Wow...so quickly have they been charged..and interesting the Health Minister also comes out to announce the outcome of the autopsy...Why is he making announcements about what is part of a criminal investigation?

The autopsy report revealed that Jong-nam died of organophosphate poisoning, with the substance having consistent qualities with the nerve agent VX, Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam said.
"Organophosphates are a group of chemicals that have many domestic and industrial uses, though they are most commonly used as Insecticides and are responsible for a number of poisonings. The main mechanism is blocking the enzyme acetylcholinesterase causing nervous and respiratory damages that result in the insects death, but they are also hazardous to humans. After the cessation of use of organochloride insecticides, they became the most commonly used Pesticides and are responsible for 70% of pesticidal use in the United States..."

And the 'main suspects' have apparently fled the country...how come? 

Police said that the North Korean suspect in custody would be deported. They have described four North Korean men as the "main suspects" but they have reportedly since fled the country.
And, now the North Koreans are making relevant points - if it was the women who did it, how come they did not die by reason of the VX nerve agent?

The North Korean high-level delegation to Malaysia wants to know how the two women who had purportedly killed Kim Jong-nam using the highly toxic substance VX nerve agent could survive...“The world’s greatest question is again, the question of the two ladies – they are the ones who directly contained the liquid on the palms of their hands to apply to the face. “They are the first ones to have contact with this material while the victim died - how did they survive?”

Well, it is a criminal case, and the Malaysian police would have to investigate it...and, so they did...and they said that this man was murdered - then there was report that he was killed using the dangerous  VX nerve agent...Well, how was the VX Agent used - you certainly cannot put a clothe soaked with VX Agent and apply it to somebody's face - you would also have been poisoned  and possibly be dead by now - Well, the North Koreans have finally raised this concern (see the report below)

The North Korean individual detained in connection with the death of Kim Jong-nam will be released from police custody tomorrow and deported, said attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali.Police do not have sufficient evidence to charge the man, Apandi told CNN

Now, a North Korean suspect was arrested and remanded - and our AG said that there was not enough evidence to charge him, so we are DEPORTING him? Odd, have the police stopped investigating...Normally, with a suspect where there is some evidence, but not yet sufficient evidence, the police will release him on police bail with the condition not to leave the country and to turn up for further investigation later when needed....if he leaves the country, it will be difficult to get for further questioning...or even to arrest and charge him...So, it is a mystery why he is being deported - is he an 'illegal immigrant' - No more a suspect, just release him and he can remain or go as he pleases? Why deport? Maybe, our AG may need to clarify...

Malaysia will cancel visa-free entry for North Koreans entering the country from March 6, Bernama reported today.According to Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, North Koreans will be required to obtain a visa before entering Malaysia for national security reasons.

Then, now Zahid Hamidi announces that Malaysia will discontinue visa on arrival for North Koreans ...this, I consider a foolish move - as it will certainly also affect Malaysians...for North Korea may retaliate and also cancel Malaysian visa on arrival privilege ...and Malaysians who want to visit North Korea suffers...Zahid Hamidi will not...What about the impact on tourism? What about the relationship between our 2 nations? Was this move by Zahid Hamidi a knee-jerk reaction? Was it brought about by external pressure from US and South Korea? 

What was the motive of the killing? Personal? Political? Why was the South Koreans and the US so involved and interested? Interesting questions...

North Korea - well, we know the US and the Western World have a negative perception about this country...and the main global media also is not too happy with North Korea? Some of us may have been influenced by these 'fake' or 'biased' reporting - it may be time for us to go do some research into the History of North Korea...??

In the midst of all that is happening, the Saudi King comes to Malaysia - did anyone ask him as to why his family gave billions to Najib paid into his personal account? Was it a 'bribe' - did Saudi get anything in return? Oops...that case is closed, AG Apandi Ali has decided... well, obviously it is not over with cases still proceeding in so many different countries...

Trump critical of media just by saying 'fake news' - his opinion, but in Malaysia Najib and his government simply cut our access to these sites - and has also effectively ended one good alternative media - the Malaysian Insider??

Malaysia to cancel visa-free entry for North Koreans

 | March 2, 2017
Home minister cites national security reasons.
Zahid-HamidiKUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will cancel visa-free entry for North Koreans entering the country from March 6, Bernama reported today.

According to Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, North Koreans will be required to obtain a visa before entering Malaysia for national security reasons.

Speaking today, Zahid said the decision would be gazetted soon.

“I hope the decision of the home ministry will be implemented by the immigration department for the sake of national security,” he told a press conference after the ministry’s Excellent Service Award ceremony here.

The move comes more than two weeks after Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) with a toxic nerve agent.

Jong Nam was awaiting a morning flight to Macau on Feb 13 when he was attacked by two female assailants.

The women, Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong, were identified after an airport CCTV recording showed them attacking Jong Nam with a substance later found to be the dangerous VX nerve agent, classified as a weapon of mass destruction and banned by the United Nations.

Yesterday, Siti Aisyah and Doan were charged with murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code. If found guilty, they face the mandatory death sentence.

Aside from the two women, police have also nabbed a Malaysian, Muhammad Farid Jallaludin, and North Korean citizen Ri Jong Chul to help in investigations into the murder.

Four other male suspects, all North Korean, fled the country on the same day of the murder. They have been identified as Ri Ji Hyon, Hong Song Hac, O Jong Gil and Ri Jae Nam.

Two other North Korean suspects, Hyon Kwang Song, who is the second secretary with the embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and Air Koryo employee, Kim Uk Il, are also wanted by police to help in the investigations.

South Korea and the US say Jong Nam was assassinated by agents of the North Korean regime.

Pyongyang however has dismissed suggestions that it had a hand in the killing, and accused Malaysia of collaborating with hostile forces, the phrase normally used by the regime to describe neighbouring South Korea.

The murder has rapidly cooled relations between North Korea and Malaysia, which had been unusually warm, with a reciprocal visa-free travel deal for visitors until now. Malaysia is one of the few countries that North Koreans could visit without a visa.

Up to 100,000 North Koreans are believed to be working abroad. Of these, around 1,000 currently work in Malaysia. Their remittances are a valuable source of foreign currency for the isolated regime. - FMT News, 2/3/2017


N Korea: How did duo survive contact with VX nerve agent?
The North Korean high-level delegation to Malaysia wants to know how the two women who had purportedly killed Kim Jong-nam using the highly toxic substance VX nerve agent could survive.

Kim, who was travelling using a North Korean passport under the name "Kim Chol", died on Feb 13 at KLIA2 after a chemical substance was used on him.

Citing “international chemical experts”, Ri Ton-il, former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, who is part of the delegation, in a press conference today, pointed out how the two women had used their bare hands to contain the material before applying it on the victim’s face.

“The world’s greatest question is again, the question of the two ladies – they are the ones who directly contained the liquid on the palms of their hands to apply to the face.

“They are the first ones to have contact with this material while the victim died - how did they survive?”

Ri, who read out a statement during the press conference held outside the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur today, also pointed out how no one except the victim was affected by the nerve agent despite the tens of thousands of people at the airport.

“And everybody knows and should know the nature of this toxic material – that it is extremely toxic - that’s why it was categorised as a chemical weapon by the Organisation of Prohibition Chemcical Weapon (OPCW).

“It (also) has great penetration power - instant death as soon as it comes to contact with the body and air and one that comes into contact with it is instantly doomed to die.”

Again citing international chemical experts, Ri argued that the samples should then be sent to the OPCW.

“And in case it is approved by two separate international laboratories with the same conclusion, then they should come to identify who was the one who made it, who was the one who brought it into Malaysia (and) who was the one who passed on the material to the two ladies.”

Meanwhile, Ri also questioned South Korea whom he said had insisted that North Korea had sent the two women to Malaysia with the toxic material to be used against the victim.

“And one comes to ask this question - how did South Korean authorities come to know from the beginning of this incident, alleging about the use of chemical weapon from the beginning?

“Even North Korea had no idea on the first day of the announcement of the report but South Korean authorities announced on the very same day when this occurred.

“It means they knew this incident from the beginning and from a long time ago, they already knew this incident will occur,” added Ri.

Ri, earlier on during the press conference, had also confirmed that the delegation has had meetings with related cabinet members to “settle the humanitarian issue”.

Among them is in relation to the return of the deceased’s body to North Korea, the release of a North Korean suspect who was arrested and discussions on friendly relations between North Korea and Malaysia.

The delegation, added Ri, had also requested to view the body of the deceased as well as to have a meeting with the North Korean man arrested and the two female assailants as well.

“We are waiting for these meetings to be realised,” he said.

Meanwhile, US former assistant secretary of state was quoted by US news portal Politico that North Korea's use of VX nerve agent raises concern that the substance may also fall into the hands of terrorists.

"The spectre of chemical weapons proliferation, of VX in the hands of terrorists, now looms ever larger," he was quoted as saying.

Both the US and South Korea have accused North Korea of orchestrating Jong-nam's murder with the chemical weapon.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 28, were yesterday charged with Kim's murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code and if found guilty, they will face the death penalty.

Police said that the North Korean suspect in custody would be deported. They have described four North Korean men as the "main suspects" but they have reportedly since fled the country. - Malaysiakini, 2/3/2017


Detained N Korean to be deported

Published     Updated
The North Korean individual detained in connection with the death of Kim Jong-nam will be released from police custody tomorrow and deported, said attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali.

Police do not have sufficient evidence to charge the man, Apandi told CNN.

Jong-nam, who is North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un's half brother, was killed at KLIA2 on Feb 13.

Police are looking for four North Koreans in connection with the case, as well as three others whose nationalities have yet to be determined.

The autopsy report revealed that Jong-nam died of organophosphate poisoning, with the substance having consistent qualities with the nerve agent VX, Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam said.

The authorities will not release the body to North Korea until DNA samples to confirm Jong-nam's identity are received and tested.

An Indonesian woman and a Vietnamese woman were charged in the magistrate’s court in Sepang yesterday with murdering Jong-nam.

Police said investigations showed the women applied VX onto Jong-nam’s face with their bare hands.

The alleged murder has led to diplomatic tensions between Malaysia and North Korea, with Putrajaya today announcing that North Koreans will from Monday require a visa to enter Malaysia.

Malaysia is among a handful of countries in the world whose citizens have been allowed visa-free travel to North Korea, and vice-versa.

North Korea has cast doubts on Malaysia's investigations, and rejected claims that it had a hand in Jong-nam’s death.

Nevertheless, South Korean intelligence told lawmakers in Seoul that the North Korean ministries plotted the murder. - Malaysiakini, 2/3/2017



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