Jokowi Urges Siti Aisyah to Temporarily Stay Put at Home

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo suggested Siti Aisyah stay put at home for the time being after she had been just acquitted of all charges in the murder case against Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korea’s ruler Kim Jong-un.

“I told Siti to stay put for the meantime until the situation cools down, which would let her plan a better life ahead,” said President Jokowi after welcoming Siti Aisyah at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta today, March 12.

Jokowi also expressed his appreciation for Malaysia’s Shah Alam High Court after acquitting the Indonesian national from all charges.

The president argues that the freeing of the Indonesian migrant worker could not be separated from legal assistance provided by the Indonesian government. “It was a long journey, a constant and lengthy process,” said Jokowi.

Read: Siti Aisyah Thanks President Jokowi upon Release

The meeting between President Jokowi and Aisyah lasted for 15 minutes. Aisyah was accompanied by Human Rights and Law Minister Yasonna Laoly, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, and State Secretary Pratikno.

Following the meeting, Siti Aisyah’s family was reluctant to provide any statements to the media and decided to walk on past journalists.

Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam were tried for their alleged roles in the murder of Kim Jong-nam. The women were accused of smearing the toxic nerve agent VX on Kim's face at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in February 2017.

Both women claimed they did not know what was happening and thought they were taking part in a prank for a Japanese comedy show. Kim Jong-nam died minutes after the toxic lotion was smeared on his face.

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI