The Penang Institute today denied media reports that it had purportedly received funds from Open Society Foundations (OSF), an outfit backed by American businessman George Soros.

"The allegation was derived from a 'leaked document' obtained from a website called DC Leaks. In the document, Penang Institute was listed as a beneficiary of a study grant for graduate fellowships at the Central European University’s School for Public Policy in Hungary.

"We would like to state categorically that Penang Institute has neither received nor applied for any funds from Open Society Foundation. None of our staff have also received the Central European University fellowship as alleged by the document.

"In other words, Penang Institute has no links whatsoever to these organisations," said its executive director Zairil Khir Johari in a statement.