[3] Osman Sapian courted controversy when his academic qualification listed on the government portal included a bachelor's degree from Universiti Putra Malaysia.
[4] In January 2019, as the Johor Menteri Besar, Osman made a boat ride to visit a Malaysian Marine Department vessel that was anchored in Malaysia-Singapore disputed waters which had raised protest from Singapore.
[5] In response to his visit, Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said in a ministerial statement in Parliament that both sides must act in "good faith" to overcome bilateral issues.
Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, was known to be unhappy with Osman Sapian following several decisions that he had made against the federal government's direction.
[11] On 4 September, his BERSATU membership was voided with immediate effect after he was spotted stumping for Dr. Mahathir's new Homeland Fighters' Party (PEJUANG) during the 2020 Slim by-election campaign period.