KOTA BARU, Malaysia: Both the Barisan Nasional-led Federal Government and the PKR-led Opposition have been trying to pinch Members of Parliament from the other side following the March 8 general election.

This was the main reason why both sides rejected the proposal for an Anti-Hopping law, alleged Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Senator Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.

"Now, we are in uncertain times with speculations (of a change in government) about Sept 16 rife.

"I do not know how real is the threat by (PKR de facto leader) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for him to successfully oust the Barisan-led Government."

According to Zaid, the de facto law minister, any effort to forcibly remove a sitting prime minister can only be done in Parliament through a no-confidence motion.

Only if the majority of MPs support the motion can a prime minister be asked to step down, Zaid told a press conference on Sunday.

However, Parliament is not in session on Sept 16, said Zaid, responding to Anwar's claim that he will have adequate numbers to form a new government by then.

The 61-year-old former deputy prime minister plans to make it happen by engineering a massive defection of Barisan MPs who are allegedly disillusioned with the present Federal Government.

Zaid said Anwar's strategy was constitutional but wondered whether he could find ample numbers.