Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said the five-member team would be led by Bukit Aman Deputy CID Director Zainuddin Ahmad.

“The team is studying reports from the Internet and public complainants to identify whether it was true that the news portal was receiving funds from outside parties.

“When police have finalised this information, witnesses will be called in as soon as possible,” he told reporters here today adding that police had identified several witnesses to record their statements.

According to media reports on Monday, a foreign group chaired by billionaire George Soros had allegedly funded the Bersih movement, the Merdeka Centre and Malaysiakini portal as part of its programme to influence the outcome of the next general election.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the allegations should be investigated.

Khalid also said that police had yet to receive reports on the individual who allegedly insulted the Quran on Twitter yesterday, and they were working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to trace the person.

“Don’t think if you open a ‘fake account’ police can’t trace you and you can escape from us.

“So, be careful in using social media with posts touching on religious sensitivities and insulting the leaders of the country.”

Yesterday, Khalid, through his official Twitter warned the owner of a Twitter account “Bersihmond@firamond” for insulting the Quran and called on the Police Cyber Investigation Response Centre to locate the perpetrator.