Haniff @ Ghazali Hosman

Summary

Haniff @ Ghazali Hosman is a PKR politician from Pontian, Johor, who serves as the party's Pontian Branch Chief and previously sat on the Benut Zone Council. He contested the Benut state seat in the 2022 Johor state election under PH but finished third in a four-cornered race against incumbent Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad. In 2026, PKR nominated him as its candidate for the N.54 Pulai Sebatang state seat in the 16th Johor state election, with polling day set for July 11, 2026.

Biography

Haniff @ Ghazali Hosman is a Malaysian politician from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) based in the Pontian district of Johor. Born around 1980, he was approximately 42 years old during the March 2022 Johor state election [1]. He has served as the PKR Pontian Branch Chief (Ketua Cabang PKR Pontian) and previously as a former Benut Zone Council member (Ahli Majlis Zon Benut), a local government advisory role through which he built recognition among residents [1][2]. He made his electoral debut in the 2022 Johor state election, contesting the Benut state seat (N.53) under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) banner, where he finished third in a four-cornered contest against Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad of BN, polling 1,200 votes and forfeiting his deposit [3]. For the 2026 Johor state election — with polling day set for July 11, 2026 — Haniff was named by PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the PKR candidate for the N.54 Pulai Sebatang state seat on June 22, 2026 [3][1]. Pulai Sebatang, located within the Pontian parliamentary constituency, has 47,651 registered voters and an electorate that is predominantly Malay, with economic activities centred on agriculture, fishing, and manufacturing [4]. The seat is held by BN-UMNO incumbent Hasrunizah Hassan, who won in 2022 with a majority of 6,325 votes [5]. During the 2026 campaign, Haniff was observed canvassing alongside other PH candidates at the Taman Megah night market in Pontian [5]. No information on his formal educational qualifications or prior career before local council service is available from public sources.

Known for

Haniff @ Ghazali Hosman is known within PKR circles in Johor's Pontian district primarily through his role as PKR Pontian Branch Chief and his prior service as a Benut Zone Council member. He entered the public electoral arena at the 2022 Johor state election, where he contested the Benut seat against then-Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad. In 2026, PKR fielded him as its candidate for the N.54 Pulai Sebatang seat in the 16th Johor state election.

Political positions

Based on available reporting from the 2022 Johor state election campaign, Haniff expressed support for poverty eradication through improved welfare policies and advocated for skills training programmes targeted at women to enable them to generate income. He positioned himself as a proponent of political renewal, suggesting that voters sought fresh representation after prolonged incumbency. His 2026 candidacy is aligned with PH's broader Johor election platform, which emphasises federal-state alignment and development benefits under the Anwar Ibrahim administration. No detailed policy positions beyond these campaign-era statements have been sourced from public records.

Before politics

1. Pre-2022Served as a member of the Benut Zone Council (Ahli Majlis Zon Benut), a local government advisory role in Pontian district, Johor, through which he became known to the local community.⛓

Political career

1. Pre-2022Appointed as PKR Pontian Branch Chief (Ketua Cabang PKR Pontian), the leading party position at the branch level within the Pontian constituency.⛓
2. March 2022Contested the N.53 Benut state seat in the 2022 Johor state election under the PH-PKR banner. Finished third with 1,200 votes in a four-cornered contest, losing to BN's Datuk Hasni Mohammad who won with a majority of 5,859 votes. Haniff's vote tally fell below the deposit threshold.⛓
3. June 2026Named by PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the PKR candidate for the N.54 Pulai Sebatang state seat in the 16th Johor state election, with polling day set for July 11, 2026.⛓

Election history

• 2026Pulai Sebatang (N.54), Johor State ElectionPending⛓
• 2022Benut (N.53), Johor State ElectionLost6.9%⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsHaniff @ Ghazali Hosman is the confirmed PH-PKR candidate for N.54 Pulai Sebatang in the 2026 Johor state election, as announced by PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim on June 22, 2026, and confirmed following nomination day on June 27, 2026.⛓
• VerifiedFactsThe N.54 Pulai Sebatang seat has 47,651 registered voters. The 2022 incumbent, Hasrunizah Hassan of BN-UMNO, won that election with 12,473 votes and a majority of 6,325, making it a seat PH is challenging from behind.⛓
• GovernmentPH chairman and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that all 56 PH candidates for the 2026 Johor election are Johoreans who understand the people's needs and local issues, and called on them to work hard to win.⛓
• PublicA first-time Pulai Sebatang voter interviewed by The Star stated she preferred to evaluate candidates on their individual merits rather than party affiliation alone, reflecting a candidate-centric voter sentiment in the constituency.⛓