Suhaizan Kaiat

Summary

Suhaizan bin Kaiat (born 13 April 1973) is the Pakatan Harapan Member of Parliament for Pulai (since September 2023) and Amanah's candidate for the N.44 Larkin state seat in the 16th Johor State Election (polling day: 11 July 2026). A computer science graduate and former teacher who began his political career in PAS before co-founding Amanah in 2015, he is best known for serving as the opposition Speaker of the Johor State Legislative Assembly from 2018 to 2022 and for chairing the Health Parliamentary Special Select Committee in the current parliament. His 2023 Pulai by-election victory — his first win after six failed attempts — made him the first MP elected with the joint backing of the PH-BN Unity Government.

Biography

Suhaizan bin Kaiat (also spelled Kayat; born 13 April 1973) is a Malaysian politician from Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition [1]. He has served as the Member of Parliament for Pulai since September 2023, having won the seat in a by-election triggered by the death of the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub [2]. He holds the positions of Amanah State Vice Chairman for Johor and Division Chief of Pulai within the party [1]. Suhaizan received his early education at Sekolah Kebangsaan Parit Nawi, Muar and Sekolah Agama Seri Menanti, Muar, before completing secondary schooling at Sekolah Menengah Seri Menanti and Sekolah Agama Parit Nawi [1]. He subsequently obtained a bachelor's degree and a Master of Computer Science from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) [1]. Before entering electoral politics, he worked as a teacher and engineer [3]. He began his political career in PAS, serving in roles including Johor PAS Youth Council Chief and Central PAS Youth Council Information Chief, before joining Amanah when it was established in 2015 [1]. He served as Speaker of the Johor State Legislative Assembly from June 2018 to January 2022, first appointed by PH Menteri Besar Osman Sapian and later retained by BN Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad — a rare instance of an opposition politician holding the speakership [1]. He briefly served as Political Secretary to the Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living from January to December 2023 [1]. In the 2023 Pulai parliamentary by-election, his seventh electoral contest, he won on his first-ever electoral victory with a majority of 18,641 votes [2]. Since entering Parliament, he has chaired the Health Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) [4]. In June 2026, he was named PH's candidate for the N.44 Larkin state seat in the 16th Johor State Election, scheduled for 11 July 2026 [3]. He is 53 years old at the time of the Johor election campaign [3].

Known for

Suhaizan is known for serving as the only opposition Speaker in a Malaysian state legislative assembly — appointed to the Johor speakership under PH in 2018 and retained by BN after the Sheraton Move, until January 2022 [1]. He is also recognised as the chairman of the Health Parliamentary Special Select Committee, where he has led inquiries into healthcare workforce shortages, medical insurance pricing, and mental health service gaps [4]. His 2023 Pulai by-election win — on his seventh attempt — made him the first MP elected under the PH-BN Unity Government alliance [2].

Political positions

On healthcare, Suhaizan has used his chairmanship of the Health PSSC to push for standardised medical charges, including calling for the swift rollout of a diagnosis-related groups (DRG) payment system to reduce disparities in private hospital billing [4]. The Health PSSC under him also urged the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and Bank Negara Malaysia to expand social insurance coverage for mental health services [4]. On constituency matters, he has identified infrastructure development, employment opportunities, and land tenure conversion — specifically the campaign by Kampung Melayu Majidee residents to convert their land from leasehold to freehold — as priority issues in the Larkin area [3]. He has advocated that his dual role as Pulai MP and Larkin state candidate is an asset, arguing that approximately 70 percent of Larkin shares its boundaries with the Pulai parliamentary constituency, giving him familiarity with local communities and the ability to raise issues at both state and federal levels [3]. In campaign messaging for the 2026 Johor election, he has sought to attract former Bersatu voters by pointing to the split within Perikatan Nasional [5].

Education

1. Early schooling, MuarReceived early education at Sekolah Kebangsaan Parit Nawi, Muar and Sekolah Agama Seri Menanti, Muar, followed by secondary schooling at Sekolah Menengah Seri Menanti and Sekolah Agama Parit Nawi.⛓
2. Tertiary education, UTMObtained a bachelor's degree and Master of Computer Science from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Skudai.⛓

Before politics

1. Pre-politicsWorked as a teacher and engineer before entering electoral politics.⛓

Political career

1. PAS membership and party rolesJoined PAS and held positions including Johor PAS Youth Council Chief, Central PAS Youth Council Information Chief, Gelang Patah PAS Youth Council Chief, and Pulai PAS Committee Member.⛓
2. 2004Contested in the 2004 general election as a PAS candidate for the Parit Sulong seat — his first electoral contest; was unsuccessful. Note: sources conflict on whether this was a parliamentary or state seat.⛓
3. 2008Contested the Kempas state assembly seat under PAS in the 2008 general election; was unsuccessful.⛓
4. 2013Contested the Kempas state assembly seat and a parliamentary seat (sources conflict between Simpang Renggam and Tanjung Piai) under PAS in the 2013 general election; was unsuccessful in both.⛓
5. 2015Joined Amanah upon its establishment and became Pulai Amanah Division Chief from inception of the party.⛓
6. 2018Contested the Kukup state assembly seat under Amanah in the 2018 general election; was unsuccessful.⛓
7. 28 June 2018Appointed Speaker of the Johor State Legislative Assembly by Menteri Besar Osman Sapian (PH), becoming Amanah's organising secretary at the time of appointment.⛓
8. February 2020 – January 2022Retained as Johor State Assembly Speaker by BN Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad following the collapse of the PH state government in February 2020, making him the only speaker from the opposition in Malaysia at the time.⛓
9. January 2022Stepped down as Johor State Assembly Speaker following BN's victory in the 2022 Johor state election; was not reappointed.⛓
10. March 2022Contested the Pulai Sebatang state assembly seat under Amanah in the 2022 Johor state election; was unsuccessful.⛓
11. January – December 2023Served as Political Secretary to the Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, Salahuddin Ayub, and subsequently Armizan Mohd Ali.⛓
12. 9 September 2023Won the Pulai parliamentary by-election with a majority of 18,641 votes (48,283 votes polled), defeating PN's Zulkifli Jaafar. This was his seventh electoral contest and first victory. He became the first MP elected under the PH-BN Unity Government alliance.⛓
13. 19 September 2023Sworn in as Member of Parliament for Pulai before the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul.⛓
14. 2024 – 2026Served as chairman of the Health Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC), leading inquiries into healthcare workforce shortages, mental health insurance coverage, standardised medical charges, and a proposal for a Health Service Commission.⛓
15. June 2026Named as Pakatan Harapan's candidate for the N.44 Larkin state seat in the 16th Johor State Election (polling day: 11 July 2026).⛓

Election history

• 2026Larkin (DUN N.44)Pending⛓
• 2023Pulai (Parliament, by-election)Won62%⛓
• 2022Pulai Sebatang (DUN)Lost⛓
• 2018Kukup (DUN)Lost⛓
• 2013Kempas (DUN)Lost⛓
• 2013Simpang Renggam / Tanjung Piai (Parliament; sources conflict)Lost⛓
• 2008Kempas (DUN)Lost⛓
• 2004Parit Sulong (seat type disputed across sources)Lost⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsSuhaizan won the 2023 Pulai parliamentary by-election with 48,283 votes and a majority of 18,641 votes, becoming the first MP elected under the PH-BN Unity Government alliance. Polling day for the 2026 Johor state election is July 11, 2026; result for N.44 Larkin is pending.⛓
• GovernmentPH announced Suhaizan as its Larkin candidate, framing his dual role as Pulai MP and state candidate as an advantage for constituents who could have their issues raised at both federal and state levels.⛓
• OppositionBN is fielding incumbent Larkin assemblyman and Johor Exco member Mohd Hairi Mad Shah, who won the seat in 2022 with a 6,178-vote majority in a six-cornered contest, presenting a strong incumbent challenge to Suhaizan.⛓
• PublicSome netizens raised concerns about Suhaizan contesting a state seat while already serving as Pulai MP, questioning whether he could effectively serve both roles. Suhaizan publicly dismissed these concerns.⛓
• ExpertPolitical observer Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia identified Larkin as a key contest to watch in the 2026 Johor election, noting Suhaizan's challenge against incumbent BN assemblyman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah.⛓