{
  "id": 17371262,
  "title": "Amanah vs Umno in Merlimau: Rahayu knows Dr Akmal is big on social media, so she’s counting on voters at the grassroots",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/amanah-vs-umno-in-merlimau-rahayu-knows-dr-akmal-is-big-on-social",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T08:36:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/31/amanah-vs-umno-in-merlimau-rahayu-knows-dr-akmal-is-big-on-social-media-so-shes-counting-on-voters-at-the-grassroots/241443"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Melaka Amanah Wanita leader Rahayu Hamzah is set to challenge BN's Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh for the Merlimau state seat in the upcoming 16th Melaka state election. Rahayu, aware of Dr Akmal's substantial social media presence as Umno Youth chief, is confident in PH's grassroots support. She aims to serve the community based on PH's Melaka Rumah Kita objectives, prioritizing education for young people and addressing infrastructure issues like flooding. Dr Akmal, however, does not aim for a large majority but seeks voters' trust based on his four years and 11 months of service. He is prepared to face criticism and pledged responsible campaigning, urging all teams to conduct activities maturely and responsibly. The Merlimau seat will witness a direct contest between the two candidates on November 14, with early voting on November 10. For the most recent updates on the election, visit https://election.bernama.com/prn/melaka/2026/.",
  "summary": "JASIN, Oct 31 — A father’s advice to always remain strong and broad-minded has inspired Melaka Amanah Wanita...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Akmal in straight fight against PH in Merlimau",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/akmal-in-straight-fight-against-ph-in-merlimau",
        "published": "2026-10-31T03:22:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Vibes",
        "title": "Melaka PRN: Akmal Salleh faces PH challenger in straight fight to retain Merlimau seat",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/melaka-prn-akmal-salleh-faces-ph-challenger-in-straight-fight-to",
        "published": "2026-10-31T04:25:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}