JAKARTA, May 21 (Reuters) - Indonesia's antitrust agency

has started research aimed at identifying risks from a possible

merger between tech giants Grab and GoTo, its

head said on Wednesday.

Muhammad Fanshurullah Asa in a statement said the agency

would be able to conduct a thorough review once the merger takes

place and both companies give notification of such action.

The two firms have yet to confirm merger plans officially

but the possibility of such a move has been widely reported in

recent months.

Sources with knowledge of the matter last week said the two

firms were looking to strike a deal within the second quarter.