TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Foreign Ministry has requested Malaysian authorities to provide consular access to Siti Aisyah, an Indonesian woman arrested for her involvement in the murder of Kom Jong-nam, step brother of North Korea Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. The Ministry argued that provisions on consular access have been clearly regulated in the 1963 Vienna Convention.

"It is the obligation of [Malaysia] to inform [Indonesia] about any arrest made against Indonesian. Article 36 of the [1963 Vienna Convention] states 'without delay'," said Armanatha Natsir, spokesman of the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Thursday, February 23, 2017.

Armanatha said that the Malaysian Police is in the process of applying a 7-days investigation period against Siti, who was arrested on Wednesday last week. Armanatha said that the investigation period can be extended if necessary. "For the duration of the investigation [Siti] can only be visited by investigators," Armanatha explained.

Armanatha added that Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had personally requested for a consular access to Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman back in February 20, 2017.

"Minister Retno took the initiative to held a bilateral meeting, for one purpose only, requesting consular access," Armanatha stated.

Armanatha further explained that the consular access is required to verify the person's identity in the passport. "After that, we will take action to protect the Indonesian," Armanatha added.

The Indonesian government also urged Malaysian authorities to inform new legal facts to proper parties. "We still don't have access. We hoped that any new facts about [Siti], will be delivered by the Malaysian Police to a state-appointed legal attorney, not the media," said Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, the Foreign Ministry's Director of Indonesian and Legal Entity Protection.

YOHANES PASKALIS