{
  "id": 16301383,
  "title": "Zahid spurns PN’s appeal for 2 more seats in Melaka polls pact",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/zahid-spurns-pns-appeal-for-2-more-seats-in-melaka-polls-pact-16301383",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-24T07:03:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/10/24/zahid-spurns-pn-s-appeal-for-2-more-seats-in-melaka-polls-pact"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Barisan Nasional (BN) has declined Perikatan Nasional (PN)’s request for an additional two seats in the upcoming Melaka state election on November 14. BN Chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reaffirmed that his coalition will continue to contest 21 seats, while allocating seven to PN, as previously agreed upon. PN previously denied that seat negotiations with BN had been finalized after Zahid announced PAS and its allies would contest seven seats under a pact with BN. PAS Deputy President Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man later urged PN to receive two extra seats. In the 2021 Melaka polls, BN secured 21 seats, Pakatan Harapan won five, and PN took two, with Bersatu also participating. PAS gained one seat later after Rembia assemblyman Jailani Khamis defected from Umno to join the Islamic party, prior to the state's anti-hopping law taking effect.",
  "summary": "BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says PN already agreed to seven seats previously and that he wants to stick to that arrangement.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Zahid: BN honours seat pact, rejects PN's request for two more seats",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/zahid-bn-honours-seat-pact-rejects-pns-request-for-two-more-seats",
        "published": "2026-10-24T05:38:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Vibes",
        "title": "Melaka PRN: Only seven seats for PAS-PN, says Zahid",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/melaka-prn-only-seven-seats-for-pas-pn-says-zahid",
        "published": "2026-10-24T06:53:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}