MALAYSIA is among 49 countries that have violated UN sanctions against North Korea, a US think tank said in a report.

The Institute for Science and International Security listed Malaysia among countries that failed to cut off access of business and transportation services, which facilitated North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme.

Nikkei Asian Review reported that Malaysia shared the spot with China, among other unnamed countries, and the think tank recommended closing loopholes that North Korea is exploiting for trade.

The report also said several countries, which are either experiencing political instability or have poor track records on enforcement and corruption, have engaged in arms trading with the reclusive state.

They include Syria, Angola, Iran, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

However, even advanced countries such as Japan, Germany and France were deemed culpable in certain respects.

The report, released on Tuesday, showed how even US allies are undermining its efforts to strongarm North Korea into abandoning its nuclear weapons programme.

Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was murdered in Malaysia with VX nerve agent while he was waiting to board a flight to Macau on February 13.

The murder triggered a heated diplomatic spat between North Korea and Malaysia in the following weeks, with both countries barring each other’s citizens from leaving.

North Korea has denied any involvement and two women, an Indonesian and a Vietnamese, are currently being tried for his murder. – December 8, 2017.