It’s been a month since Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, was murdered at the KL International Airport 2. And it has been a month that the world’s attention has again been drawn to Malaysia.

Almost every single major news organisation are now in Malaysia, or at least monitoring the latest developments of the case, which is like something out of an old espionage movie from the 1960s.

The alleged plot is that of a closed and reclusive country’s leader who feels threatened by his half-brother who might return from exile and try to take over power. So he seeks to assassinate the half-brother.

The alleged assassination attempt was successful. Two individuals smeared Jong-nam’s face with a deadly poison which killed him almost instantaneously. And it happened in KLIA2, where Jong-nam was about to take a flight to Macau. Thus, the Malaysian authorities are responsible for handling the incident.

The closed and reclusive country claims that Malaysia is in collusion with their enemies in wanting to ruin their reputation and bring them down. Malaysia, however, really doesn’t have any vested interest in the case.

They’re just doing what they’re supposed to, which is to investigate a crime that was committed on their soil. And now a diplomatic crisis has happened. Accusations have been flung and ambassadors have been expelled.

North Korea has since banned all Malaysian citizens in their country from leaving. There are 11 Malaysians who are stuck there. Two are employees of the United Nations, three are staff of the Malaysian embassy and the rest are their family members.

In a tit-for-tat response, the Malaysian government banned the North Koreans who are currently working in the embassy in Kuala Lumpur from leaving the country, too. However, it is quite obvious which side is actually in danger and which isn’t.

As a journalist covering the case since day one, I find it increasingly hard to maintain a feeling of objectivity as I am Malaysian. And when you see accusations of the integrity of your country being questioned, one can easily become defensive.

I believe that the firmness of Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in responding to the accusations and threats made by the North Korean government as justified and called for.

Of course, I understand that as a journalist, I need to play the watchdog role and report news as objectively and transparently as possible so that the rest of Malaysia can monitor the actions of our government in handling the incident. I will continue to do that to the best of my abilities.

However, I also understand that as a Malaysian - and this is my call to all Malaysians as well - we need to stand by our government as they do everything in the effort to ensure that our fellow citizens, who are essentially being held hostage in North Korea, are safe and brought home.

Sure, we have our issues with the government and we criticise them a whole lot. But that is just how democracy is. We applaud the good that is done and criticise the bad, and hopefully this process will ensure better governance...