Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has denied that the plot to topple the government is fake.

He said he had received intelligence reports about it in his capacity as home minister.

"These intelligence reports were verified by several agencies [...] it was filtered and verified before reaching me," he said.

The modus operandi for the plot was to gather statutory declarations (SD) from BN and opposition MPs to show that Najib doesn't command confidence.

Zahid said the intelligence report had allowed him to foil the plot.

He added that no BN representatives have signed the SDs,

Zahid then lashed out at critics who said BN had done the same thing in Perak.

"Yes the rules allow it but Umno members will not allow it. You have to cross Umno's dead body before that happens," he said.

In 2009, BN successfully overthrew the then Pakatan state government in Perak after securing the defections of three Pakatan assemblypersons ( photo ).

The defections were presented to the Perak palace as proof that then menteri besar Nizar Jamaluddin did not command confidence in the state assembly, thus necessitating a change in the state government.