PETALING JAYA: Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan will contest in the Port Dickson by-election as an independent candidate.

The former aide to PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told The Star that he will contest on an independent ticket.

"I am contesting purely as an independent without any party backing me.

"Let me set the record straight: I am not contesting because of my past with Datuk Seri Anwar but for other reasons," he said.

Saiful said he would reveal more once his nomination as a candidate is confirmed on Saturday (Sept 29).

"I have thought about it thoroughly and I feel it is the right move," he said.

On Feb 10, 2015, the Federal Court upheld Anwar's conviction and his jail term imposed by the Court of Appeal for sodomising Saiful in Bukit Damansara in June 2008.

Anwar, however, was given a full pardon by the King on May 16 this year.

So far, aside from Anwar, Tan Sri Isa Samad has also stated his intention to contest along with social media personality Stevie Chan Keng Leong. Both are set to contest as independents.