{
  "id": 17373720,
  "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-17373720",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T08:36:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "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 has set her sights on winning the Merlimau state seat in the upcoming 16th Melaka state election. She credits her father's advice to stay strong and open-minded as her guiding principle as she faces off against Barisan Nasional (BN) incumbent Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh. Rahayu acknowledges Dr Muhamad Akmal's considerable influence on social media, but remains confident in the backing of voters in the constituency. If elected, Rahayu promises to prioritize community service aligned with Pakatan Harapan's (PH) Melaka Rumah Kita vision, focusing on education for young people and addressing local infrastructure issues like flooding. Meanwhile, Dr Muhamad Akmal does not aim for a landslide victory but seeks voters' trust based on his four years of service. He is prepared to face criticism and will urge all campaign teams to maintain maturity, responsibility, and avoid provocation or slander during the election campaign. The Merlimau constituency will see a tight contest between Dr Muhamad Akmal and Rahayu, with polling day scheduled for November 14 and early voting on November 10.",
  "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."
}