The investigation on former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for making allegedly defamatory statements is almost completed.

Deputy inspector-general of police Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the investigation paper (IP) would be referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) for further action in two weeks' time.

"Police are still scrutinising the statement recorded from Mahathir yesterday," he told reporters after a graduation parade for 524 police officers including seven from Brunei, at the police training centre in Kuala Lumpur today.

Noor Rashid ( photo ) said the statement recorded from Mahathir had nothing to do with 1MDB.

He said police recorded Mahathir's statement at Yayasan Al-Bukhary, the location chosen by the latter after police gave him the option to name the place.

On whether Mahathir would be detained, he said it depended on the situation and outcome of the investigation.

He added that Mahathir had been very cooperative during the questioning by police which lasted 45 minutes beginning at 11am.

Raids on news portals to collect evidence

On the raids at the respective offices of Malaysiakini and The Star Online yesterday, he said it was to collect evidence following a police report against the two news portals.

Noor Rashid said no arrests had been made following the raids but police would take action, if necessary, against certain individuals linked to the case.

A Putrajaya Criminal Investigation Department team together with a Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) team came to the offices of the two news portals yesterday.

They were believed to be carrying out an investigation into the posting of an allegedly defamatory article in the websites on the transfer of an MCMC deputy public prosecutor.

- Bernama