Indonesia Won't Be Dragged in Diplomatic Tension Between Malaysia and North Korea, Says an Observer

Jakarta, 11 Jumadil Akhir 1438/10 March 2017 (MINA) – An observer, Ratu Ayu Putri Kusuma Asih said Indonesia would not be dragged into a dispute between Malaysia and North Korea (Korea), although an Indonesia citizen Siti Aisyah is involved in the murder of half brother North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

As long as Indonesia could continue to take a balanced position while providing legal support to Siti Aisyah, Indonesia will not become involved, Ayu said. Nevertheless, it can be seen from the development of bilateral relations between North Korea and Malaysia in the future.

“I think Indonesia has done the right steps to just take care of the legal rights of Siti Aisyah, without showing any political position on this case,” Deputy Chairman of the Department of International Relations, University Bina Nusantara (Binus) told Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) in Jakarta, Thursday (9/3).

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She added that the core of friction between Malaysia and North Korea is actually arise as a result of mutual distrust between the two countries related to the handling of the murder case of the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, tnamely Kim Jong-nam.

Mutual distrust, he said, came from Malaysia’s own party that is reluctant to grant access to North Korea in the investigation of the death cases, because there is indications of the involvement of North Korean government officials. But on the other hand, said Ayu, North Korea is also entitled to claim for its citizens, especially the brother of the president who were victims of homicide in another state.

“The position of Malaysia is indeed dilemmatic since then untransparent process of the investigation led to allegations that Malaysia is South Korea ally. I think the hot ball is in Malaysia, Malaysia would not want to be able to calculate the costs and benefits of every political step when its citizens were held hostage in the North Korea,” she said.

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Furthermore, Ayu said, North Koreans were not allowed to return to his country. If the case is getting hot, it could be later China, South Korea, and the United States will be involved.

“But I think Malaysia was probably not choose an extreme step because it could threaten the stability of the country,” she said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak also said it would not sever diplomatic relations with North Korea and is now an investigative team from Malaysia is still studying the case. If it is later discovered that North Korea was involved in the problem, according Ayu, there are two possibilities that will happen.

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First of all, North Korea has rejected the results of the investigation, both by making this issue is an issue of common criminals or non-political, diplomatic and Korean Air staff made the sacrifice. But again this is actually also the issue of the North Korean government’s image in the eyes of the world. The results of the investigation is now leading to a political motive,” she said.

She also considered, if Malaysia develop investigating this case without considering this, it can be very damaging to the relationship between Malaysia and North Korea.

“Diplomatically, indeed it was not said by Najib, because so far either Malaysia, Indonesia and the countries of Southeast Asia tend to take a neutral stance on the dynamics on the Korean Peninsula,” she added. .(L/R04/RS5)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)