KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry today confirmed that the body of deceased North Korean citizen Kim Jong-nam, who was murdered here last month, has been embalmed.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the body, which had been stored at Kuala Lumpur Hospital morgue for a month, was taken out of the hospital for the procedure.
"Yes, it is true. It is an effort to preserve the body.
"If (the body) is kept at the morgue for too long, the body might decompose," Zahid told reporters at the Parliament lobby here today.
His statement confirmed today's report by the New Straits Times’ Special Probes team that the authorities had decided to preserve the body of the 45-year-old to prevent further decomposition.
Jong-nam’s remains were brought to HKL on Feb 15. He died in an ambulance while being taken to Putrajaya Hospital following a chemical attack at klia2 on the morning of Feb 13.
Sunday night would be the first time from that day that his body had been taken out from the general hospital.
His body was driven out from the hospital at about 7.30pm. By 10.30pm, it was back at the mortuary for safekeeping.