JOHOR BARU, Oct 9 — Kempas assemblyman Datuk Osman Sapian today denied leaving Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) for PKR to support Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as rumoured.

He clarified that he is still a Bersatu member and the party’s Ayer Hitam division chief.

"I’m also still the Kempas assemblyman that is aligned to the state Perikatan Nasional ruling coalition.

"At present, I have no plans yet to leave Bersatu and join another political party,” he told Malay Mail when contacted.

Rumours that the former Johor mentri besar had switched parties started circulating on social media after Anwar claimed to have a formidable command of support in Parliament and announced that he had been granted an audience with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong next Tuesday.

A pro-Umno website called Ops Johor appeared to have accepted the rumour for a fact and lashed out at Osman earlier today, even insinuating that he would benefit if he supported Anwar.

According to Ops Johor, Osman would benefit through a positive outcome of an investigation undertaken by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission if the Pakatan Harapan coalition returned to federal power.

Osman dismissed the allegation as baseless.

However, Osman also conceded that his political leaning will depend on whether or not Anwar has the support of the majority parliamentarians.

"I will have to wait and see,” the four-term Kempas assemblyman added, but declined to elaborate.

Osman is no stranger to political controversy, with the latest where his loyalty was seen as tipping the scales of  the Johor assembly that has 56 seats.

Both Umno and DAP have 14 each. The remaining seats are held by Bersatu (12), Amanah (nine), PKR (four), MIC (two) and PAS (one).

In late August, the 69-year-old seasoned politician’s loyalty to Bersatu was called into question after allegations surfaced of his supposed impending exit to join Pejuang after he was publicly seen with several of the new party’s leaders during the Slim by-election campaign.

Following that, a video went viral in early September showing Osman supposedly speaking on the campaign trail in support of Independent candidate Amir Khusyairi Mohamad Tanusi.

In the video, Osman is said to have admitted being the Kempas state assemblyman on the Bersatu ticket and that he was still a member of the party but alleged that Bersatu had strayed from its original struggles.

It was reported on September 4 that Osman had his Bersatu party membership revoked due to his actions.

However, Bersatu disciplinary board chairman Tan Sri Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas later clarified that Osman is still a Bersatu member though pending an investigation.

The rumour mill also named another Johor lawmaker as having quit Bersatu for PKR.

Malay Mail has reached out to the MP for comment and will refrain from disclosing the name for the time being.