{
  "id": 20157664,
  "title": "Umno, BN to stay out of Sarawak election",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/umno-bn-to-stay-out-of-sarawak-election-20157664",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-15T10:09:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/11/15/umno-bn-to-stay-out-of-sarawak-election"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The 16th Sarawak state election will be held on December 12th. Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has stated that the coalition will not participate in the election. Zahid explained that Umno and PBB, the leading party in the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition, have reached an understanding that they will not field candidates in the Sarawak state assembly elections. Both Umno and BN have never intended to contest any state assembly seats in Sarawak, he added. Nomination day for the election is scheduled for November 28th, and early voting will commence on December 8th. The GPS party is expected to release its full list of 82 candidates on November 25th. Umno has never established a state chapter in Sarawak and has consistently respected the understanding that it would refrain from contesting state and parliamentary seats in the region. Sarawak-based parties that were part of BN have left the coalition following their defeat in the 2018 general election. Together, PBB, SUPP, PRS, and PDP formed the GPS party, with PBB currently leading it.",
  "summary": "BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says Umno has an understanding with PBB, the lynchpin of the ruling GPS coalition in Sarawak.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Zahid: BN will not contest Sarawak election",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/zahid-bn-will-not-contest-sarawak-election",
        "published": "2026-11-15T09:01:22.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}