KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has every right to review its visa-free policy for North Koreans entering Malaysia to protects its interest.
Sabah-based activist Nelson Angang said the country needed to be firm and vigilant of threats that could affect its trade and security.
“The disparaging tone made by North Korea through its envoy in the media is a clear indication for the country to look at its options,” he said.
Angang was referring to statements made by North Korean ambassador Kang Chol, who criticised Malaysia’s handling of Kim Jong-nam’s assassination.
“Based on reports, locally and internationally, it appears things have been happening in the country and we need to be cautious.
“I agree with what Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman have asserted, for North Korea to respect our laws and allow our authorities to carry out their responsibilities, professionally and objectively,” Angang said.
Senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore Oh Ei Sun said he had no qualms over a review of the visa-free policy with North Korea.
“The benefits of the visa-free policy are marginal. Breaking off this arrangement would not be a problem.”
Najib and Anifah had defended the Malaysian authorities’ actions in handling the case.
Political analyst and Universiti Utara Malaysia senior lecturer in International Politics and Asean relations Dr Muhammad Fuad Othman said Malaysia must always be vigilant and wary of internal and external threats.
Similarly, Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia senior analyst Shahriman Lockman said the benefits of the visa-free arrangement with North Korea had been marginal compared to the cost to Malaysia.
“Our annual bilateral trade with North Korea is only RM23 million, compared with Malaysia’s total external trade of RM1.5 trillion. That’s minuscule, just 0.002 per cent of our total trade, with hardly any potential for growth,” he said.
Meanwhile, Netizens slammed North Korea over criticisms levelled by Kang Chol on the handling of the probe on Jong-nam’s assassination.
Many urged North Korea to respect the laws of the country, as Jong-nam’s murder had taken place on Malaysian soil.
They also called on North Korea to not bully Malaysia.
Netizen Murugan Rengan said North Korea should respect Malaysian laws, and that “we can’t release the deceased before our thorough investigation (is done)”, further stating that they should not try to bully the country.
Another Netizen, Sreekant Pillai said “if North Korea is not happy with the way the investigations are going… Tough! Then go to court and get an order for another post-mortem and don’t waste time bickering about it.
“You are in Malaysia, so go by our rules. When you have a dead person in your country, then we’ll play by your rules,” he said.