"We have heard this rumour," Maziah Mukhtar, spokeswoman for Malaysia's organisers Sukom, said. "But the government has taken a stand. Come what may, the games will go on in Kuala Lumpur."
Smog, water shortages, escalating costs - Malaysia faces an unenviable array of challenges in preparing for the 16th Commonwealth Games, set for September 11-21 in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia eagerly took up the challenge of hosting the games, the first in Asia since their start in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada.
The games are meant to launch tropical Kuala Lumpur as Southeast Asia's sports capital and lead to Malaysia eventually hosting the Asian Games and, by 2020, the Summer Olympics.
Underscoring his personal interest in the games as a national showcase, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad named his brother-in-law as head of the organising committee.
Malaysia has spared little for the games, expected to draw 6,000 athletes and officials from some 60 nations.
It is spending 1.7 billion ringgit ($450 million) on facilities, including a 90,000-seat stadium. The amount does not include millions for a light-rail transit system linking the capital to the games village 20 km (12 miles) south of the city.
For the first time the games will include team sports - cricket, rugby, hockey and netball. There will be 16 sports, six more than in the last games in Victoria, Canada in 1994.
Organisers expect a live television audience of some 500 million, and were planning on 60,000 tourists.
But as of mid-March, the organisers had received only 38,108 ticket bookings - less than three percent of all tickets.
There is a rumour that will not go away - this year's Commonwealth Games will have to be shifted from Malaysia to Australia because of smog.
