Subra: No sign of illness in two suspects in Jong-nam killing

High point: Photographers trying to get a good view into the North Korean Embassy at Jalan Batai, Damansara.

KUALA LUMPUR: The two suspects held over the killing of Kim Jong-nam have not shown any sign of illness, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

He said this when asked about a Hazmat team supposedly spotted at the Sepang police station where the suspects were held.

“We know one of the suspects had vomited.

“Now, we need to investigate the cause but we have not received any report,” he told reporters after an event here yesterday.

On Friday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said one of the two women suspects had vomited due to the side effects of the VX nerve agent.

Dr Subramaniam also said Malaysian authorities were prioritising efforts to positively identify the remains of a North Korean man at Hospital Kuala Lumpur as those of Kim Jong-nam.

There were previous requests from the North Korean Embassy to hand the body over to them, which Dr Subramaniam said, were against protocol.

“We have to confirm the identity of the person and only then can we release the body upon consultation and agreement with the police,” he said.

Dr Subramaniam said the toxicology report had been handed over to the police, adding there was nothing more to do.

“Now, we need to identify the body and trace the next of kin,” he said, adding that no medical record had been received so far to help with the identification.

Asked if the arrival of a high-level North Korean delegation would help speed up the process, Dr Subramaniam said: “I only found out about their arrival through the media.”