{
  "id": 14187769,
  "title": "PM’s pol-sec confirms contesting Paya Rumput seat",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/pms-pol-sec-confirms-contesting-paya-rumput-seat-14187769",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-13T11:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/10/13/pm-s-pol-sec-confirms-contesting-paya-rumput-seat"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Political Secretary Azman Abidin of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced he will contest the Paya Rumput seat in the upcoming Melaka state election. The announcement brings an end to speculation surrounding Azman's candidacy, as he has accepted PKR's decision for him to represent Pakatan Harapan (PH). This will be a significant move, given that Azman is also a member of PKR's central leadership council. In the 2021 state election, the Paya Rumput seat was won by Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Rais Yasin, who secured a substantial 629-vote majority over four other candidates. Among them was Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, a former Hang Tuah Jaya MP who contested on a PH ticket. The Election Commission (EC) has scheduled the 16th Melaka state election for November 14, with the nomination process set for October 31. According to the EC, a total of 687,697 voters, as per the latest electoral roll as of September 22, are eligible to participate in the polls.",
  "summary": "The confirmation by Azman Abidin puts to rest speculation over his candidacy in the upcoming Melaka state election.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malaysiakini",
        "title": "PM's political secretary to run for Paya Rumput in Malacca polls",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/pms-political-secretary-to-run-for-paya-rumput-in-malacca-polls",
        "published": "2026-10-13T08:42:57.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "PM’s pol-sec confirms contesting Paya Rumput seat",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/pms-pol-sec-confirms-contesting-paya-rumput-seat",
        "published": "2026-10-13T11:01:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}