Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim confirmed speculation that Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian will be replaced but not on orders from Pakatan Harapan.
Updated: Osman has tendered his resignation, 11 months after being sworn-in as the first non-Umno menteri besar of Johor. Dr Mahathir said Osman submitted his letter to him when the pair met in Putrajaya yesterday.
Instead, the vocal Johor Crown Prince said on Twitter said that Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar decreed months ago that a successor be found for Osman.
“However, somebody else is taking the credit and mileage, claiming that he ordered it,” he said on his official Twitter account today.
The crown prince commonly referred to as TMJ (the Malay initials for Tunku Mahkota Johor) added it was his father’s absolute prerogative to appoint the state MB.
“Remember, the appointment of the menteri besar is at the sole discretion of the Sultan. Stop the politicking.”
In a later tweet, Tunku Ismail expressed hope that the new Johor MB will not be a “yes man” to the federal government.
“The welfare of the people and well-being of the state must always be a priority,” he said on Twitter.
Rumours spread over the weekend that Osman will be replaced amid mounting tension between Putrajaya and the Johor royal family.
The Johor crown prince last week criticised Putrajaya for wanting to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and for announcing a ship-to-ship transfer hub in the southern state.
It was also speculated that Johor exco Dr Sahruddin Jamal was tipped to replace Osman after the former was seen meeting with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during the launch of their PPBM party’s Sabah chapter.
Osman’s stewardship of the state has been erratic and characterised by incidents such as sparking a diplomatic row by boarding a vessel to inspect the Johor Baru new port limits amid a maritime dispute with Singapore.
He was also criticised for his handling of the toxic waste spill in Pasir Gudang that caused thousands to seek medical attention after inhaling methane fumes and which forced the temporary closure of all 111 schools in the district.
Osman has recently been under fire over his handling of the Sungai Kim Kim pollution crisis, which saw 111 schools shut down.
The Kempas assemblyman raised eyebrows for going ahead with a day working trip to Indonesia’s Batam Island during the crisis. He later said he had cut short the working visit’s schedule and was in touch with officials handling the crisis.
The menteri besar’s performance has been scrutinised for several months, and it seems that the palace is not happy as Osman had ignored a request to present the ruler with an economic blueprint for the state, according to The New Straits Times.
Pakatan leaders were disappointed that Osman “lied” about his academic qualification following a controversy that made headlines in February.
They also questioned Osman’s purchase of a property valued at more than RM1 million for his third wife, which they feared would become a point of contention, the daily reported.