JOHOR BARU, Sept 5 — With four days to go, Perikatan Nasional (PN) contestant Zulkifli Jaafar believes he has gained an unexpected advantage over his Pakatan Harapan (PH) rival Suhaizan Kaiat and an independent candidate for the Pulai parliamentary by-election this Saturday.

Zulkifli was referring to the much talked about the High Court discharge of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from all 47 charges of dishonestly misappropriating RM31 million belonging to charitable organisation Yayasan Akalbudi, which happened hundreds of kilometres away in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

"I was smiling when the news broke yesterday that the Umno president was granted a DNAA on his 47 graft charges.

"The people, particularly voters in Pulai, will evaluate this decision. I believe this will give me more support from the people,” he was quoted by The Star as telling reporters while visiting the early voting centre at the Region II Marine Police Force headquarters in Tampoi here today.

Zahid had been hit with 47 charges comprising 27 counts of money laundering, 12 counts of criminal breach of trust, and eight counts of bribery charges of over RM21.25 million in alleged bribes.

Trial judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah granted an order to discharge Zahid without acquitting the latter after the prosecution applied for it yesterday, saying it would not continue the Yayasan Akalbudi trial.

The order means Zahid could still be charged in court for the same charges in the future if the prosecution decides to reinstate them.

The defence had pushed for a full acquittal, but was declined by the High Court.

Pulai is one of two ongoing by-elections in Johor, the other being the Simpang Jeram state seat.

Both were called following the July 23 death of its elected representative Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, who was also domestic trade and living cost minister.

Apart from Zulkifli and Suhaizan, the third Pulai hopeful is independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi.

For Simpang Jeram, the candidates are Nazri Abdul Rahman (PH), Mohd Mazri Yahya (PN), and independent S. Jegananthan.