The Badminton Association of Malaysia adopted a high-risk ploy this week when they separated split Koo and long-time partner Chan Chong Ming, who will now partner Thien How in Doha.

Koo and Tan forged their partnership at the recent Japan Open, where they finished runners-up, defeating strong teams such as South Korea's Lee Jae-jin and Hwang Ji-man as well as Denmark's twice-All England champions Jens Eriksen and Martin Lundgaard.

National coach Yap Kim Hock said 21-year-old Koo and Tan, 19, were always going to be permanent partners at some point, but after their Japan Open success, it was decided to pair them up sooner rather than later.

"Chong Ming might not be around for too long but Kien Keat-Boon Heong can play for two more Olympics," Tan told the Doha Games official Web site.

"They have shown in the Japan Open they can match the top pairs and will gain their first major experience in the Asian Games."

Koo and Chong were at one time ranked fifth in the world this year and won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. They also won the Malaysian Open men's double title.

Malaysia's main medal hopes at the Asian Games is Commonwealth Games singles champion Lee Chong Wei. But Koo is hoping that the men's doubles will also offer his country a place on the podium.

"We will be aiming to win a medal in the Asian Games. It will be tough because we will not be seeded," Koo was quoted as saying in The Star. "But we will definitely give it our best shot."