'Fatwa haram' does not affect PN campaign - Zulkifli

JOHOR BAHRU - Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate for the Pulai parliamentary constituency, Zulkifli Jaafar has downplayed the impact of the "haram fatwa" (forbidden religious ruling) issue concerning voting for Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidates on the PN campaign for the by-election (PRK) of the parliamentary seat.

Instead, he highlighted that the recent court decision to release Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi from the Akalbudi Foundation funds case would positively influence the PN campaign.

"Logically, the court's decision helps my campaign.

"I haven't lost any campaign momentum because I have never played with this issue. Instead, this issue will influence voters because the people are smart and can judge.

"Sometimes we talk a lot, but it doesn't work because people can think for themselves; they know how to distinguish between what is good and bad," he said after a walkabout on Jalan Dataran 4, Taman Kempas, here earlier today.

Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah (now a Court of Appeal judge) granted the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) application to halt proceedings for all charges against the Deputy Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Zulkifli, who is also the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) deputy chief for the Pulai division, declined to comment on the allegations of PH candidate Suhaizan Kaiat's illegal votes made by PN Chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

"I have no comment on that matter.

"I myself did not notice him saying such a thing during the ceramah (speech), so I do not want to comment on the issue. Nevertheless, this matter does not affect the course of my campaign.

"Overall, the campaign has been going very well so far, and I will continue to meet more voters in the Pulai parliamentary constituency," he said.