Tian Chua praises govt for being firm with North Korea

PKR vice-president Tian Chua yesterday praised the government in its handling of the diplomatic issue with North Korea.

Chua (PKR-Batu) said the government had shown firmness in response to North Korea, which had been aggressive towards Malaysia over their diplomatic relations.

“I praise the government for being firm with North Korea in defending Malaysia’s pride,” he said when debating the motion of thanks on the royal address in Parliament.

Diplomatic ties between Malaysia and North Korea have become tense in the past few days over the murder of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jongun.

Malaysia has declared the North Korean ambassador here persona non grata after he made disparaging remarks on the handling of the murder case by police.

North Korea retaliated by prohibiting Malaysian citizens from leaving the country until the murder case was solved.

Chua said the wisdom of early national leaders, who adopted the policy of neutrality, was an example that could be emulated now to avoid getting into confrontations with other countries.

On Tuesday, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had said Malaysia should sever diplomatic ties with North Korea after the communist state barred Malaysians from leaving.

He supported Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s announcement in barring North Korean embassy officers and staff from leaving Malaysia.

“If it (North Korea) refuses to release our citizens, we must do the same.

“It’s not that we want to keep the North Koreans here; we just want our citizens to come home,” he said.