KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — The family of S. Nirmala Malar Kodi, a Malaysian embassy staff member in North Korea are praying for her safe return home and wants her back for good.

Nirmala is an administrative assistant at the Malaysian embassy in Pyongyang, and is one of 11 people stranded there after North Korea’s decision to ban Malaysians from leaving the county. According to The Star, she was supposed to have come back here for a holiday in June.

“I’m scared but I’m also confident that our government will protect her and the other 10 people at the embassy. I just want her to come home and I don’t want her to go there again,” Her sister S. Komala Theinmoli, 48 was quoted saying in the news report.

Komala said she last spoke to Nirmala, 45, on Thaipusam day and the last time they met was in 2015.

“When she got the job with the Foreign Ministry, we were happy because she was going to serve the country.

“Many people said negative things about North Korea, but she was brave. I have read stories about their leaders and the human rights issues there. But I knew Nirmala was ready to go and I didn’t stop her.”

Another sister S. Janaga Malar Vili, 53, said the family home was very tense when Wisma Putra informed them of the exit ban, but they were relieved when Nirmala called two days ago.

“Many people thought she was trapped in the embassy, but she is able to go around Pyongyang without any problem.

“She told me she could get her groceries there. Nirmala is fine and she knows Malaysia is doing something for them,” she reportedly said.

Another sister S. Shobhanaa, 43, said that the Malaysian government is doing its best but that the family has been told to not reveal any information to “outsiders.”

North Korea imposed Tuesday a temporary travel ban on all Malaysians there following soured ties over the February 13 murder of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s older half-brother Kim Jong-nam here.

Malaysia later confirmed all 11 of its nationals in North Korea are safe. Two of them are UN employees there for a course related to the World Food Programme, while three are Malaysian embassy staff and the remaining six are their family members.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday the government has been given an assurance that the stranded Malaysians are not in custody and can move about Pyongyang freely, with the exception that they cannot leave North Korea.