Wednesday 5 March 2008

Another dirty trick by the EC - use of indelible ink cancelled...

...and 47,000 bottles of ink costing over RM2mil of the taxpayers' money have been wasted - gone down the drain.

The question is: why has the use of the ink suddenly withdrawn? Why the about-turn decision at the eleventh hour with polling just a few days away? What has national security and public order issue got to do with the use of the ink?

Here's the full Star report.


The Election Commission has cancelled the use of indelible ink in polling this Saturday, citing public order and security reasons.

Its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said following a meeting held Tuesday, the EC was obliged to make a firm and final decision to ensure the smooth conduct of the 12th general election.

He said provisions to the law needed if the ink was to be used still could not affect the constitutional right of a voter to cast his vote, even a person whose fingernail had been marked with indelible ink or one who refuses to have his or her fingernail marked this way.

"From a practical point of view, the issuance of a ballot paper to such a voter would render the EC's proposal meaningless and will not bring about a positive result, whilst having the potential to create misunderstanding as well as ltercations and arguments at polling stations," he said.

The Federal Constitution gives you the right to vote, and a black mark on your fingernail should not bar you from exercising this right, he said.

Abdul Rashid said there were also reports made to the police confirming that certain irresponsible quarters had purchased indelible ink from abroad with the intention of creating confusion and suspicion as to the status of voters.

"The EC views these issues seriously as the election process and public order and security cannot be compromised," he said.

The use of indelible ink was first proposed last June to safeguard against multiple or phantom voting. Abdul Rashid then said that the system would be subject to amendments to the Election (Conduct of Election) Regulation 1981.

He said indelible ink had been chosen over other measures, such as a biometric system working off the MyKad (chip-based identity card carried by all Malaysians above the age of 12) because such such smartcard readers would have cost about RM60,000 each, and every voting stream would have to be equipped with one. Using such a system would have cost in excess of RM30mil.

The commission bought about 47,000 bottles of the indelible ink, manufactured in India, for RM2mil.



Pak Lah replies, read here and Najib, here .

Read Activists Warn Malaysian Elections Will Be 'Dirtiest Ever' here

14 comments:

pemerhati said...

Fishy, very fishy indeed.

Is the BN getting scared shit because of the growing ground swell, especially in the urban areas, calling for change?

Nik Bahrum Bin Nik Abdullah said...

Berita mengejutkan tapi masih dalam jangkaan saya adalah pengumuman oleh pengerusi SPR petang semalam berkenaan dengan penggunaan dakwat jari ke atas pengundi. Tidak ada angin dan tidak ada goyangan tiba-tiba penggunaannya dibatalkan atas alasan mengelirukan pengundi terutamanya pengundi di kawasan pendalaman. Juga dikatakan terdapat khabar angin ada pihak-pihak tertentu yang telah mendapat bekalan bahan kimia untuk menghilangkan tanda dakwat.

Reaksi saya: "Poorah", bodoh punya alasan!!! Dan nampaknya rakyat sekali lagi ditipu hidup-hidup.

Sebenarnya, tatacara penggunaan dakwat ini telahpun dimasukkan ke dalam silibus kursus petugas SPR dimana bahagian kuku jari telunjuk akan dicalit sedikit dakwat sehingga kena sedikit kulit. Petugas SPR terutamanya kerani pengundian dan Ketua Tempat Mengundi telah sedia maklum tentang tatacara tersebut.

Sehingga peringkat itu semua menganggap dakwat akan digunakan. Sehingga di mana-mana sahaja kursus PACA yang saya sampaikan itulah antara soalan yang biasa ditanya.

Jawapan saya mudah sahaja. Saya tidak percaya tatacara tersebut akan digunakan kerana sehingga semalam, tatacaranya tidak pernah di'gazet'. Maksudnya tidak pernah dirasmikan oleh kerajaan.

Akhirnya, keluar pula tatacara baru bagi sesiapa yang tidak mahu jarinya dicalit iaitu mesti mengisi borang 10A sebelum diserahkan kertas undi. Nampaknya tatacara tersebut pun terbatal dengan sendiri.

Jangkaan saya akan timbul kacau bilau pada hari pengundian.

Perlu difahami bahawa ramai di antara Kerani Tempat Mengundi dan Ketua Tempat mengundi yang dilatih oleh SPR adalah 'first timer'. Malah ada di antara mereka baru sahaja layak mengundi. Dengan tatacara yang berubah-ubah tersebut, bukan setakat petugas kita marah, petugas lantikan SPR pun akan bingung.

Oleh itu saya menyeru semua petugas terutamanya PACA, mesti sentiasa peka terutamanya terhadap pengundi 'X' dalam culaan.

Kita buktikan hantupun tidak akan bolos.

Anonymous said...

Abdullah has denied this and has asked EC (thru Radzi) to meet all opposition parties to explain the chaotic situation if the indelible ink is used. This may be a ploy but the possibility is there.
Apparently IGP Musa: “uncovered an attempt by some irresponsible people out to create a confusion during Saturday’s elections by having voters dipped their fingers in indelible ink BEFORE the polling day”.
Rashid is worried this attempt might sabotage the Polls on 8th March and upset the result; the activity occurring especially in the rural and interior areas, and the aim was to create confusion and suspicion on the status of the voters concerned.
Prevented from voting - Those with fingers marked can be regarded as having casted their votes when they go to the voting centres on polling day. There are also possibilities that those who have been cheated will not go out to vote as they are afraid of being deemed as having committed an offence, This would lead to a chaotic situation at the voting centres, which might be difficult to control as the candidates’ agents and EC staff would get confused over the status of the voters. More details at
http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2008/03/rm1-m-indelible-2008-election-ink.html

Anonymous said...

This job - is one of the MANY reasons Rashid's service was extended above the mandstory retirement age last year.

Pluiselah dont insult us!

Rockybru said...

Kak Ton,

Rashid might as well have told us that it's for our own safety .. takut ada yang terminum dakwat, iyelah, kan orang2 malaya ni bodoh2 belaka ...

Anonymous said...

Cancelled at the eleventh hour costing the tax payers RM2.4 million - I kid you not!

And paying tax I will continue doing - I kid you not twice!

Off to read my book. Best I dont say anything when I am pissed off because I tend to regret it later.

p/s: sorry I missed MRT yesterday. Was at Dr.Musa's clinic for Luqman's injection. Waited sooooo loooonnngggg!

warrior2 said...

I am surprise that with all the various explaination and reasons given, you still dont get it.

BTW, whats the dirty trick here?

.. said...

kak ton, when i see Bersamamu @ TV,it breaks my heart that there are still so many Malaysians who suffer in poverty, some without water and electricity, some families cant even afford food or clothes for their children..and here we are paying RM2 million for 47,000 bottles of ink that will never be used. It's a waste of critical resources and a proof that even the EC can be bought, just like the judge can be fixed as in Lingam's case. What type of govt do we have? There is no responsibility in using the taxpayer's money properly. This is a clear sign that our current BN is DESPERATE and will do anything just to win. They are feeling the heat and worried of many things, thus spurring them to act stupidly and assume that the public - US - will just accept whatever rubbish that is thrown to us. This is really sad, but with all things happening recently, I think nothing really shock us anymore. During my trip to BKK, Taksin's return was a hot topic. One can feel the anger among the educated masses. In the villages,the poor were given the right side of a pair of shoe before election and if Taksin's party wins, he/she will get the left pair. That's how easy to buy votes there, just a pair of shoes, or a meagre 100bath which is like RM10. I spoke to my family member who vows to vote for for a particular party in the east coast, why - very simple, if this party wins, they'll get cash rewards and for the poor - it's an amount that easily provide food for a month, not difficult to guess which party kak ton. so much for democracy :(

Anonymous said...

Kak Ton,
Dia orang dah tak takutkan ALLah! Dollah ke,Ashit ke, Najib ke,Musa ke, jawab lah nanti, 2.4mil tu duit rakyat bayar cukai. I think kita mandikan diaorang semua dengan ink tu, so sampai mati tak boleh mengundi lagi, tak kan keluar lah ink tu dari badan mereka! Buat lah apa they all nak buat...kita semua doa, doa orang2 di anayai di makbulkan Allah. Insha Allah. I volunteer as PACA,I will be very,very,very ALERT!!!

Pak Zawi said...

kakton,
Please allow me to address marykate.
How could there be poor people anymore when the Federal government is spending millions of dollars in erradicating poverty? That can only mean the erradication of poverty among the hardcore poor is a filure. The program called Progrem Pembasmian Rakyat Termiskin (PPRT) covers Kelantan too but yet they have found such families as shown on TV. Thats their failure to address the problem. Blame it in themselves for not doing their job.
To the hardcore poor, houses are provided too. Why are there still people living in such decrepit houses?
There was a scandal where a few million ringgit meant for the PPRT was squandered away on an orchid and ornamental fish project. Its laughable when both projects failed dismally. Very fishy eh?

Anonymous said...

Bull! Bullshit! Bollocks! Crap. Penipu!

The BN is very desperate. That's why.

Wonder what other last-minute trick is up their sleeve.

Anonymous said...

will there be any followup on the four people who lodged a police report?

Betcha my bottom dollar it will stop at that.

Just an excuse to hoodwick the rakyat!

Podahlah Ra-shit.

Ptuii ti Pak Lah and Najib!

Anonymous said...

SUKA SUKA TULIS..

dakwat tu untuk buat tatoo kot..

Anonymous said...

Depa ni tak fiqiak dulu, masaalah yg boleh timbul. Saya fikiaq ini cuma satu alasan nak menipu.