After months of speculation about a takeover and a possible walkout of its staff, news portal
 
 The Malaysian Insider
 
 (TMI) today saw almost its entire rank and file leave the company.


 The exodus, led by TMI executive editor Leslie Lau, will see the creation of a new news portal,
 
 The Malay Mail Online
 
 (MMO), expected to begin operations on July 1.


 "We are taking everyone (to
 
 MMO
 
 ) - every sub-editor and reporter - except for three Bahasa Malaysia reporters who were enticed (to stay on at
 
 TMI
 
 ) at the last minute," he said.


 Leslie Lau, together with managing editor Joan Lau, will run the new news portal which will function separately and independently from the print version of
 
 The Malay Mail
 
 .


 "I think the team has shown that is it capable of doing things and we would like to build a new brand and business. That is my personal challenge," he said.


 
 'Operations abruptly ceased'
 


 The outgoing staff, who were supposed to officially end their service at TMI tomorrow, abruptly ceased operations this afternoon.


 "I was working this morning, but something happened, so I declared leave for the staff and we went to watch a movie," said Lau.


 <img align="left" alt="NONE" height="220" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/646/6be16022af869496310d80d449c2e8ab.jpg" width="330"/>
 He declined to elaborate on whether there was a conflict between the outgoing team and
 
 TMI
 
 chief executive officer Jahabar Sadiq (
 
 left
 
 ).


 According to an email blast by the Laus this afternoon sighted by
 
 Malaysiakini
 
 , the duo informed of their departure from
 
 TMI
 
 and urged recipients for their continued support at
 
 MMO
 
 .


 "On our part we promise an even better standard of news that we feel Malaysians deserve," they said.


 In statement on
 
 TMI
 
 this evening, Jahabar said the five-year-old brand will continue to "publish news that makes sense of Malaysia".


 
 TMI
 
 is believed to be funded by a flamboyant businessperson from Penang and
 
 Malaysiakini
 
 understands that this has become a source of contention among its top editors prior to the exodus.


 According to a source familiar with the deal,
 
 TMI
 
 has successfully renewed its funding and will continue publication with a new team.


 The news portal is expected to recruit new editors and journalists from the mainstream media. The first batch of the replacement team is expected to start next week.


 At the time of writing,
 
 TMI
 
 &rsquo;s original 23-strong editorial staff list on its site had been removed, leaving behind the names of only three Malay language desk reporters and editors as well as Jahabar&rsquo;s own name.


 Repeated calls to Jahabar went unanswered.


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The exodus from The Malaysian Insider (TMI) will see the creation of a new news portal The Malay Mail Online, expected to begin operations on July 1.


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