“Since the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, there has been an unending news flow of unsolicited, provocative, confusing and even conflicting statements from many ministers,” said Amanah strategy director Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said the ministers, in their competition to be heard, were putting at stake not only the safety of Malaysians prohibited from leaving North Korea but also the Malaysian government’s credibility in the eyes of the world.
He said “there is hardly any coordination” between the various agencies involved in the murder investigation and the efforts to ensure the return of Malaysian citizens.
The ministers weren’t helping to resolve the situation by “thumping their chests”, he added.
On March 13, Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali, speaking to reporters, quoted Najib as saying he had given out instructions to the effect that no government official, except himself and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, could comment on the ongoing tiff with North Korea.
Apandi said this was to ensure the safety of the affected Malaysian citizens and to avoid jeopardising negotiations with Pyongyang.
North Korea barred Malaysians from leaving its borders on March 7, sparking a tit-for-tat action by Malaysia as relations soured over the probe into the Feb 13 murder of Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Nine Malaysian diplomats and their families are stranded in North Korea.
Dzulkefly also questioned the government’s decision to expel North Korean ambassador Kang Chol on March 4 while Malaysian diplomats were still in Pyongyang, saying it appeared to be impulsive.
He questioned whether the government had considered the possibility that provocative statements against North Korean diplomats would endanger the safety of Malaysia’s diplomats in Pyongyang.
Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, in announcing Kang Chol’s expulsion on March 4, said the ambassador had failed to answer a Foreign Ministry summon for a 6pm meeting with the ministry’s Deputy Secretary-General for Bilateral Affairs.
“Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation,” Anifah said in a statement.
Dzulkefly congratulated the police for investigating the assassination according to standard operational procedures.
“What is critically important at this stage is to get our people home as quickly as possible through negotiations and quiet diplomacy,” he said.
“In the meantime, our ministers should not make things harder for Wisma Putra by making all sorts of confusing and provocative public statements.
“Once our people are safely home, we can discuss in greater depth the future of our relations with North Korea.”
Najib calls for unity across parties in dealing with North Korea