Osman pins blame on Nizar, Ngeh
(NST) – Changkat Jering assemblyman Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu broke his month-long silence yesterday by blaming the downfall of the Pakatan Rakyat state government in Perak on former menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham.
The 57-year-old former PKR politician said both he and Behrang assemblyman Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi had expressed their frank views and dissatisfaction over the running of the state government at the last exco meeting held in December last year.
"Initially, we had faith in the Pakatan administration but as the days went by, we could not carry out our duties well as it did not value our views.
"Only the DAP and Pas seemed to rule the state while we were sidelined. Decisions made were influenced by Ngeh and Nga Kor Ming," he said.
Ngeh and his cousin Nga were exco members from the DAP in the deposed state government.
"We were shocked at how the DAP and Pas were competing with one another for personal gain and wealth," Osman said at a function in Air Kuning here yesterday.
He insisted that his decision to quit PKR and become an independent assemblyman friendly to the Barisan Nasional was not driven by money or position.
"If it was for money, it would have been better for me to stay on as an exco member in the Pakatan government.
"It was definitely a huge decision for me, one that led to the fall of the Pakatan government in Perak. This decision was reached with the shedding of tears and I hope you understand the repercussions and risks that I have taken.
"Slurs and accusations have been hurled at my family and I but for the sake of the religion, race and nation, I shall never return to Pakatan."
Osman, who was clean-shaven and dressed in a checked short-sleeved shirt, took Nizar to task for failing to talk or meet them personally prior to their quitting PKR.
"Ten days passed after we expressed our views to the PKR leadership and Nizar (in December last year) but he did not even call us in for a discussion.
"Exasperated, we then took leave with the hope that Nizar would call us for a heart-to-heart talk. Instead, we received telephone calls and numerous SMSes accusing us of meeting Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
"Subsequently, they issued a statement that both of us had resigned as assemblymen."
On Feb 1, Perak Speaker V. Sivakumar reported to the Election Commission that Jamaluddin and Osman had resigned their seats, forcing by-elections in the two constituencies within 60 days.
Three days later, Najib announced that Jelapang assemblyman Hee Yit Foong, Jamaluddin and Osman had declared themselves as independent assemblymen friendly to the BN.
Osman also urged Nizar and Ngeh to stop accusing others for the downfall of the Pakatan state government.
"I challenge both of them to come out in the open and declare whether they had any personal gain or interest in the decisions and approvals made previously," he said.
Meanwhile, Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, who was also present at the function, slammed Pakatan Rakyat for bad-mouthing the trio after they became independents.
