SEPANG: Police are exploring the possibility that the two female suspects in the murder of Kim Jong-nam were given antidotes to VX nerve agent before carrying out the assassination.

This follows questions raised on how the women — Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 28, and Indonesian Siti Aishah, 25 – managed to survive using their hands to handle the highly-potent chemical.

Selangor police chief Datuk Seri Abdul Samah Mat said: “We are looking into that possibility.

“Tests have to be done first to ascertain if this was the case,” he told a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) here this morning.

Abdul Samah was responding to a question over the suspects, who had been declared healthy, despite having been in direct contact with VX, which is a nerve agent known for its usage in chemical warfare.

When asked if police have established whether the chemical was manufactured locally or smuggled into the country, he said: “That is still under investigation”.

-New Straits Times