Siti Aisyah's Investigation Still Ongoing: Malaysian Ambassador  

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Zahrain Mohamed Hashim guaranteed that Siti Aisyah, an Indonesian citizen who was arrested by Malaysian authorities for allegedly being involved in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, is probed based on the applicable procedures.

According to Zahrain, Malaysia would not ignore the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry who reminded the regulation on consular access.

To this date, the Indonesian government has not obtained consular access for Siti. Indonesia reminded Malaysia that the 1963 Vienna Convention requires countries to provide consular access for foreigners.

"We responded to the request, and we agreed. But based on the legal procedures, the suspect cannot be met during the investigation process," Zahrain said at his office in Central Jakarta on Thursday, February 23, 2017.

Zahrain explained that Siti's probe would not be different from probes of other criminal cases. Zahrain added that no conclusion had been drawn in relation to Siti's involvement in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam.

Zahrain clarified that the investigation would continue until a verdict whether Siti is guilty or not is issued.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir called on Malaysia to provide consular access for Siti Aisyah.

"A country arresting [a foreign citizen] is required to provide information to the home country of the citizen. Article 36 [of the 1963 Vienna Convention] says 'without delay'," Arrmanatha said at his office in Jakarta on Thursday, February 23, 2017.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi requested the consular access to Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman during a meeting in Boracay, Philippine on February 20, 2017.

YOHANES PASKALIS