KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor today confirmed that the federal opposition is plotting to topple the current federal government, but said it should be called the "Chow Kit Move” instead of the "Dubai Move”, news reports said.

Sanusi reportedly said he believes the name "Dubai Move” was just a dummy or decoy as those allegedly plotting to topple the federal government had visited Dubai, but highlighted that many people go to the city in the United Arab Emirates.

"People are labelling [the plot as] the Dubai Move, but it’s really the Chow Kit Move because it was discussed in Kuala Lumpur,” he was quoted by news portal Malaysiakini as saying in a press conference.

According to Malaysiakini, Sanusi did not disclose more information on the plot, but had mentioned other names such as the "Bera Move” and "Sembrong Move” before quickly saying that it is "just a joke to make people laugh” and asserting that a change of support for the government can be done under the Federal Constitution.

Bera MP and former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had however recently denied knowing or being involved in any plot to overthrow the current government, with Malaysiakini reporting him as saying that he did not go to Dubai but was instead in Mecca and Medina performing the minor Muslim pilgrimage umrah with his family.

Malaysiakini today also reported Sanusi as claiming that the current government would fall before it completes its five-year term, and insisting that any moves allowed under the Federal Constitution should be allowed to go on.

He said if the current government had considered five opposition MPs pledging their support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as constitutional, any reciprocal moves should also be treated as constitutional.

Local daily Berita Harian also reported Sanusi as saying that the opposition’s plot to overthrow the current government is based on the loopholes in the Federal Constitution’s anti-party hopping provisions, which he noted was used by the federal government to get the support of the five opposition MPs.

Berita Harian quoted Sanusi as saying: "I don’t think it is Dubai Move, [maybe] Chow Kit Move as that matter was discussed in Kuala Lumpur. I think Dubai is ‘dummy’ only as they want to go to Dubai.”

"[Maybe] there is Alor Setar Move because discussed at Alor Setar, there is Bera Move, there is Sembrong Move. All that can be done according to the Constitution,” he said.

The Dubai Move was alleged to involve plans to identify and make offers to MPs who might switch support to the opposition to establish a new government.

Yesterday, Anwar brushed off the alleged "Dubai Move” plot to topple the government as something that does not affect him and chose to focus on his work instead.

Anwar’s deputy Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday said the plot was real but scoffed at the attempt and called it a "waste of time”, and that those who want a change of government should wait until the 16th general elections.