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No, the Malaysian Government could not have expected this!
If North Korea refuses to let Malaysians leave, what can the Malaysian Government do? Tit for tat?
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Did you know this?
HELP University gives an Honorary Doctorate to Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of North Korea
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7 March 2017
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FMT News @fmtoday 2h2 hours ago
Family of Malaysian in North Korea in the dark
PETALING JAYA: A relative of an officer at the Malaysian embassy in North Korea, among the 11 Malaysians now barred from leaving the country, has expressed fears for the safety of Malaysians there.
The relative who wishes to remain anonymous said no one from the government had reached out to the family to provide updates.
She said the family used to get at least one message from the officer.
“But we haven’t heard anything in the past two days.
“All that is happening now is beyond our imagination. We hope the government will keep us updated.”
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/03/07/family-of-malaysian-in-north-korea-in-the-dark/
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New Straits Times @NST_Online 1h1 hour ago
IGP: We’re ready for five-year’ stake-out at N. Korea embassy
By AFP – March 7, 2017 @ 7:38pm
PENANG: Malaysia will wait to question suspects in the Kim Jong-Nam killing believed to be holed up in Kuala Lumpur’s North Korean embassy “even if it takes five years”, the country’s police chief said Tuesday.
A police cordon was set up outside the embassy after Pyongyang announced it would ban Malaysians from leaving North Korea, prompting an immediate tit-for-tat move from Kuala Lumpur.
The travel bans are just the latest twist in a heated diplomatic row over the Cold War-style assassination of the half-brother of North Korea’s leader in Malaysia last month, which has seen Kuala Lumpur expel Pyongyang’s envoy and vice-versa.
“We will wait, if it takes five years, we will wait outside. Definitely somebody will come out,” police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said at a press conference in Penang, adding that he believed three people wanted in connection with the murder were in the building.
“This morning the deputy prime minister issued instructions not to allow any North Korean embassy staff to leave the country,” Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed told journalists outside the embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
“At the moment we’re trying to ascertain their numbers and their movements.”
Prime Minister Najib Razak later said all North Korean citizens in Malaysia, not just embassy staff, would be barred from leaving the country.
Police set up a barricade with cars blocking both ends of the street leading to the North Korean embassy shortly after noon, an AFP journalist said.
Around a dozen armed officers wearing bulletproof vests were stationed at each end of the road.
http://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/03/218491/igp-were-ready-five-year-stake-out-n-korea-embassy
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New Straits Times @NST_Online 23m23 minutes ago
What ban? Malaysian in #NKorea unaware of ban on leaving country
By Bernama – March 7, 2017 @ 3:31pm
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KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian woman residing in Pyongyang said she was unaware about the temporarily ban on Malaysians from leaving North Korea.
“Is that so. We did not receive any news about the ban,” was her immediate response when contacted by Bernama here today.
She declined to disclose her identity and said that she had no idea about the ban imposed by Pyongyang Tuesday.
International news agencies have splashed the news about the ban, which would take effect until the current ‘tension’ is resolved.
She said the Malaysian Ambassador to North Korea (Mohamad Nizan Mohamad) was not in Pyongyang at the moment as the latter was called back by the Malaysian government last month.
Earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said 11 Malaysians in Pyongyang were safe.
http://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/03/218441/what-ban-malaysian-n-korea-unaware-ban-leaving-country
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The forgotten 170?
Malay Mail Online
Fate of 170 N. Koreans in Sarawak rests on Putrajaya
BY SULOK TAWIE
KUCHING, March 7 — The Sarawak government is waiting for instructions from Putrajaya on how to deal with North Koreans working in the state.
According to Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Abang Openg, there are 170 North Korean citizens working there.
“We are liaising with the Home Ministry and Foreign Ministry on what steps to take on the North Koreans,” he told reporters after officiating at a forum and workshop on forestry landscape here today.
He said the North Koreans are mostly working at a coal mine in Selantek, Sri Aman, while a few are engaged as hydroelectric project consultants.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had earlier instructed Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to prevent all North Korean citizens here from leaving the country until the government is assured of the safety and security of Malaysians in North Korea.
The chief minister said all North Koreans working in Sarawak are accounted for, while where they are employed and by which companies are on record as their names were registered with the state government.
“The issues involving the North Koreans are very delicate so we have to wait for the instructions from the federal government on what steps we need to take,” he said.
Abang Johari declined to speculate whether some of the North Koreans are agents of their government to conduct surveillance on the state and federal governments.
“We cannot determine who are spies and who are not. We just don’t know so we leave the matter to the security personnel from the police to find out,” he said, stressing that many are genuine workers.
– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/fate-of-170-n.-koreans-in-sarawak-rests-on-putrajaya?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter#sthash.y9PEgi7I.dpuf
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New Straits Times @NST_Online 26m26 minutes ago
11 #Malaysians currently trapped in #NorthKorea, says #WismaPutra http://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/03/218322/11-malaysians-currently-trapped-north-korea-says-wisma-putra …
A Wisma Putra source confirmed that there are currently 11 Malaysians in North Korea. Nine are at the Malaysian embassy in Pyongyang, while the remaining two are part of the World Food Programme.
“We are working to get the Malaysians to get out of North Korea. We cannot divulge too much information at the moment,” said the source.
The source said Wisma Putra was in the midst of reaching out to the family members of Malaysians currently in Pyongyang.
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New Straits Times @NST_Online 10m10 minutes ago
Malaysian embassy staff in #NKorea ‘sound frightened
KUALA LUMPUR: Attempts to obtain more details on the situation at the Malaysian embassy in Pyongyang proved difficult.
A person, presumably an embassy staff, who answered the call, sounded frightened and was hesitant to talk.
“I’m sorry. I’m not authorised to say anything at the moment,” said the woman, who also declined to reveal her identity.
http://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/03/218327/malaysian-embassy-staff-n-korea-sound-frightened
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Malaysian @twitmsian 4m4 minutes ago
Star
Report: Emergency procedures taken at Malaysian Embassy in N. Korea
The Malaysian Embassy in Pyongyang, North Korea. – Pix source: China Press
PETALING JAYA: Workers at the Malaysian Embassy in North Korea were reportedly seen burning documents and loading luggage into vehicles shortly after Pyongyang expelled Ambassador Mohamad Nizan Mohamad.
According to a Chinese media report, “emergency procedures” were initiated soon after North Korea made the announcement at around 6pm on Monday.
This came before state official media Korea Central News Agency reported that all Malaysian citizens have been banned from leaving North Korea, quoting the Foreign Ministry.
China’s CCTV 13 reported that the Jalur Gemilang and Asean flag in the embassy compound were lowered to half-mast on Tuesday morning, with three vehicles leaving the premises.
Pyongyang on Monday demanded that Mohamad Nizan, who had already returned to Malaysia on Feb 22, leave the country within 48 hours from 10am on Sunday.
The move was made in retaliation to North Korean ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol being declared persona non grata on March 4 and given 48 hours to leave the country after he failed to appear when summoned by Wisma Putra.
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/03/07/report-emergency-procedures-taken-at-malaysian-embassy-in-north-korea/#vIBHrGRs30hTyUqS.99
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TIT FOR TAT
Masidi Manjun @MasidiM 8m8 minutes ago
Tit4Tat: In response to North Korea‘s banning M’sians from leaving the country, Malaysia made similar order against North Koreans in M’sia
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⚡Vi Rai (ϑ ℛai)⚡️ @vrai777 3m3 minutes ago
North Korea bans Malaysians from leaving country as Kim Jong-nam crisis escalates https://goo.gl/fb/foCKH1 #northkorea #malaysia #kimjongun
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Astro AWANIVerified account @501Awani 21m21 minutes ago
#AWANInews [LATEST] Nine Malaysians believed to be in North Korea, three embassy staff and six family members: source – Bernama
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malaysiakini.comVerified account @malaysiakini
N Korea temporarily bans M’sians from leaving the country
North Korea said today it has temporarily banned Malaysians from leaving the country to ensure the safety of its diplomats and citizens in Malaysia amid an escalating row over the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s half-brother, Kim Jong-nam.
Its foreign ministry has notified the Malaysian embassy in Pyongyang of the reason for the measure and said it had hoped the case would be swiftly and fairly resolved in order to develop bilateral ties with Malaysia, the North’s KCNA news agency reported.
– Reuters
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/374750?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
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