TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo firmly stated that the Indonesian government will continue to assist Siti Aisyah in the case of Kim Jong Nam assassination, half-brother of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un. Siti Aisyah, an Indonesian citizen, is currently detained in Malaysia.
“We’ll definitely always assist her. I have already ordered the Foreign Affairs Minister to accompany her continuously through an appointed lawyer to provide protection,” President Jokowi said on Thursday, February 24, 2017.
Read: Siti Aisyah's Investigation Still Ongoing Malaysian Ambassador
Jokowi hopes that the case could be resolved soon in order to clarify Siti Aisyah’s status. He said that Siti Aisyah has the right to receive protection from the state as its citizen.
“Anything that can make it all clear; whether she’s a victim or she did actually get involved…,” says the President followed by a long pause and a nod.
To ease the tension, according to him, everyone must be patient and wait for the result of the investigation.
“Everything is still being processed, the interrogations are ongoing and we're always assisting. I’ll deliver the news when it’s done,” says President Jokowi.
“We’ll support [her]. Especially at the current consular access. Every Indonesian citizen, whether a migrant worker or not, the state will be there and defend the citizen regarding any problems,” said the Minister of Manpower, Hanif Dhakiri on Thursday, February 23, 2017.
Read: On Siti Aisyah Indonesia Reminds Malaysia of Vienna Convention
Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said that Siti Aisyah is not listed as an Indonesian migrant worker, based on the Ministry’s data. Despite this, the Foreign Affairs ministry has already requested Malaysia to open the consular access for Siti Aisyah, in accordance with the regulation governed in 1963 Vienna Convention regarding consular access.
“It’s the duty of the country that detains [a citizen] to immediately provide information to the detainee’s country of origin. The Article 36 of the 1963 Vienna Convention said ‘without delay’ statement,” Arrmanatha said.
DESTRIANITA | YOHANES PASKALIS | ANTARA
