{
  "id": 19089190,
  "title": "Karim 'too strong' in Asajaya for Pas; party looking at 3 seats",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/karim-too-strong-in-asajaya-for-pas-party-looking-at-3-seats",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-09T04:19:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/regional/2026/11/1573832/karim-too-strong-asajaya-pas-party-looking-3-seats"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUCHING: Analysts believe that Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah's strong political influence in Asajaya is a key reason why Sarawak Pas is not contesting this seat in the upcoming 13th Sarawak election. Although Pas has a solid presence in Samarahan, they are instead focusing on Samariang, Sebuyau, and Beting Maro. Experts suggest that Karim's status within the Sarawak cabinet, his role as the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) information chief, and his leadership of the Sarawak United National Youth Organisation have contributed to his significant political standing. With over five state elections since 2001, Karim has consistently won with large margins, retaining the constituency's mandate for more than two decades. The observer, who wished to remain anonymous, explained that Pas' choice of these specific constituencies was not made arbitrarily, but rather based on their historical involvement, grassroots support, and long-term strategic goals for the 16th General Election (GE16). Sebuyau and Beting Maro, both within the Batang Lupar parliamentary constituency, are seen as opportunities for Pas to strengthen its position ahead of GE16. Beting Maro, in particular, serves as a testing ground for Pas to measure its ability to translate its organizational strength into voter support, given its substantial membership and branch presence across villages in the area. In the 2021 election, Pas candidate Arifiriazul Paijo secured 2,058 votes but lost to the GPS-PBB candidate, Razaili Gapor, who received 3,769 votes.",
  "summary": "KUCHING: The political strength of Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah in Asajaya is believed to be among the factors Sarawak Pas will not contest the seat in the 13th Sarawak election.",
  "key_points": [
    "Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah's political influence in Asajaya is strong.",
    "Pas party not contesting Asajaya seat in 13th Sarawak election.",
    "Karim's cabinet status and leadership contribute to his political standing."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Pas is prioritizing strategic battlegrounds where they possess established grassroots strength rather than challenging entrenched leaders whose influence makes certain constituencies effectively impossible to win.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}