Ghani and Osman

Friends had previously asked me why I didn't go hard on current Johor MB Datuk Osman Sapian despite me being among the first to express reservations over his appointment.

This is what I wrote a day after GE14  on May 9 last year;

Osman Sapian is the leading Johor MB candidate

Well, as proven by now, Osman does have several serious flaws.

However, as pointed by my friends, my criticisms of the PH menteri besar of Johor were rather mild compared to those that I had expressed against his predecessor from BN, DS Mohamed Khaled Nordin when the latter was in power.

To begin with, Salahuddin Ayub whom I initially suggested to be chosen over Osman for the job turned out to be not such a good choice after all. He is making a mess as the Agriculture Minister.

Now I believe that Salahuddin would not have been any better than Osman as the Johor MB.

In actual truth, I do pity Osman. He's in a pair of shoes too big for himself.

He landed himself a very tough job and, as I was told by friends in JB, he's really struggling with it despite trying his best. 

However, one thing I know which is good about Osman is that he's aware of his limitations and he is not what the Malays describe as a bodoh sombong.

Despite his reputation of being abrasive and less refined, Osman does not shy away from asking for advice from those whom he respects.

I know that among the first he called after appointed as Johor MB was his former boss TS Abdul Ghani Othman.

Ghani was the menteri besar when Osman, who was then with Umno, served as Kempas assemblyman for three terms.

I believed Osman had called Ghani for advice about his MB duties and as a show of respect for his former boss who is his senior in that capacity.

The same thing didn't happen when Khaled Nordin took over the post from Ghani in 2013.

In fact this was what happened,

The eradication of Datuk Ghani 

I wrote that less than a month after GE13;

excerpts;

If this is how Khaled's people want to behave, then I dare say that he will be just a one term MB and Johor will fall five years from now.

Johor is no longer a BN stronghold because of the Chinese tsunami in GE13.

Five years from now, Johor will not even be an Umno stronghold if those in control of the party are "beraja di mata, bersultan dihati" even among their fellow Umno people.

Do mark my words on this.

I was told that Ghani rarely went back to Johor after he left the state that year.

Most of the time he only went back to his kampung in Sungai Mati, Muar and he never spent a night elsewhere while in Johor.

That was until Monday night when he went down to JB for a meeting with Osman in his capacity as the Sime Darby Plantation chairman.

It must be a poignant visit for Ghani as he spends the night in Iskandar Puteri, which he developed to be the state's administrative centre under the Iskandar Malaysia initiative.

A journalist friend forwarded me these pictures of Ghani's meeting with Osman yesterday.

The meeting between Johor Government and Sime Darby Plantation

Ghani and Osman

Ghani and Osman with Kota Iskandar staff

My friend told me that those who were present at the meeting were actually amazed that Osman salam and cium tangan Ghani when they met.

That's the level of respect that Osman has for Ghani.

I had only done that once, which I mentioned in this post;

About cium tangan

Whatever it is, I believe that it's good to show respect for our seniors and elders.

Well, I'm wishing Ghani and Osman all the best.

Ghani, for him to remain healthy and happy.

Osman, for him not to wreck Johor too much and be remembered as not the worst MB of the state.