Ministry awaiting govt decision on body of Kim Jong Nam - Dr Subramaniam

The health ministry is awaiting an official announcement from the Malaysian Government over the management of the body of Kim Jong-nam, the elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who was assassinated in the country last month.

Minister, Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak might make an announcement after studying the demand of Jong-nam's next-of-kin.

He was speaking to reporters after delivering a keynote address at the 2017 Healthcare Forum in Malaysia themed, 'Optimising Healthcare Delivery in Malaysia' here today.

Dr Subramaniam was commenting on a statement by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim on Jong-nam's family having given permission to the Malaysian Government to manage the body of the deceased.

Jong-nam, who carried a passport bearing the name, Kim Chol, had his face daubed with the VX Nerve Agent by two foreign women while he was waiting to board a flight to Macau on Feb 13 at the KL International Airport 2.

He died on the way to the Putrajaya Hospital.

-- BERNAMA