Osu bin Sukam (Jawi: اوسو بن سوكم; born 19 February 1949) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 12th Chief Minister of Sabah from March 1999 to March 2001, Member of Parliament (MP) for Papar from August 1986 to March 2004 and Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kawang from February 1994 to March 2004. Following the rotation system in place at that time, Osu, an ethnic Bajau, held the post for two years representing the Muslim bumiputras of Sabah. In 2001, he was replaced by Chong Kah Kiat. Until 14 July 2005, he was a member of a ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).
Election results + Parliament of Malaysia Percentage figures based on total turnout (including votes for candidates not listed).YearConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout1986P146 Papar, Sabah (USNO)4,84448.92%James Ghani (IND)4,63846.83%9,99520657.99%Othman Mohd Yassin (IND)4214.25%1990 (USNO)8,45251.22%Abdul Rahman Juman (IND)7,93948.10%16,61351371.80%Wenches B. Lajingah (IND)450.27%Md. Ariff Ab. Bakar (IND)410.25%Alexander Huang Tzin Tat (IND)270.16%1995P153 Papar, Sabah (UMNO)12,13156.68%Johnny Mositun (PBS)9,01548.10%21,6073,11674.94%Mohd. Hashim Yussup (IND)2571.20%1999 (UMNO)14,01364.81%Mohd Saidi Lampoh (PBS)7,60835.19%21,8216,40570.22%
+ Sabah State Legislative AssemblyYearConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout1981N.. KawangOsu Sukam (USNO)2,153Fred Sinidol (BERJAYA)2,9765,44482384.74%Patrit Sendu (PASOK)2221985N.. KawangOsu Sukam (USNO)1,923Wenches B. Lajingah (PBS)2,1225,23919981.63%Fred Tokudung Sinidol (BERJAYA)956Pengiran Othman Rauf @ Awang (BERSEPADU)1901986N11 Sulaman, P137 TuaranOsu Sukam (USNO) 2,91345.65%Muhammad Abd Rahman (PBS) 2,51039.34%6,43740376.71%Mungkit Ampuling (BERJAYA)65110.20%Nawawi Budin (IND)2123.32%Bigong Albert Polinoh (IND) 801.25% A Tanjong Hakim (IND)150.24%1994N32 KawangOsu Sukam (UMNO)4,699 49.53%Irene Daphne Pritchard @ Ariah Tengku Ahmad (PBS)4,63548.84%9,561 64 81.11%Norbert Chin Chuan Siong (IND)1101.16%John Dagul (IND) 320.34% Duig Sumpang (IND)120.13%1999Osu Sukam (UMNO)7,017 57.19%Ariah Tengku Ahmad (PBS)4,80439.16%12,354 2,213 79.92%Mohd Kanit Omar (BERSEKUTU)2822.30% Pengiran Othman Rauf (SETIA)1170.95%Sajit Patrick Singh (IND)490.40%
Controversy Gambling debt He resigned from his party of UMNO due to gambling debts totalling at least US$1.8 million he accumulated from Ritz Hotel Casino in London and another casino. The casino obtained a judgment in the High Court in England to recover debts owed by Osu. The casino sought to enforce the judgment in Malaysia by registering the judgment in the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in July 2005. The High Court at Kota Kinabalu refused to register the judgment on grounds of public policy. However, in 2007, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the casino allowing the debt to be recovered.
Honours
Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (2022)
Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (1997) Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (PGDK) – Datuk (1994)
Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DA) – Datuk Amar (1999)
References