Deputy Health Minister Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the ministry was still awaiting word from the police on the next course of action.
“We’re still waiting for the home ministry and the foreign ministry to bring the family members of the man (to Malaysia).
“We have indeed managed to identify (the body) through the medical history of the deceased, namely the health or dental records in other cases before this,” he said after launching the Penang chapter of the Malaysian Maritime Volunteer Reserve team here today.
Hilmi was commenting on a foreign news report that Jong Nam’s family had disappeared from their homes in Macau shortly after receiving news of his death which occurred at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) on Feb 13.
He said the matching process would not take long as the health ministry had cutting edge equipment and technology, as well as forensic experts up to the task.
It was reported that Jong Nam, who was using a passport bearing the name Kim Chol, was at klia2 to board a flight to Macau when two women allegedly wiped his face with a toxic liquid which was later identified to be the VX nerve agent.
Jong Nam sought help at a counter in the airport and was rushed to the Putrajaya Hospital, but died on the way.
Meanwhile, Dr Hilmi said the ministry would take various preventive measures against the spread of hand, foot and mouth disease, including expanding the health education programme, raising public awareness and intensifying monitoring at kindergartens and nurseries.
He said parents should also seek immediate treatment for their children upon seeing the first signs of infection.
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