Saturday 17 May 2008

Cabinet didn't approve of indelible ink - Rashid

Update:

No Instruction For EC To Scrap Ink Plan, Says Abdullah

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi has denied that it was the government who had instructed the Election Commission (EC) to scrap its plan of using indelible ink in the last general election.

Abdullah said, although in principle the government made the decision, it was delivered in the form of an opinion and not instruction.

But EC which handles elections in Malaysia has the final say, he said

He was commenting on a statement by EC Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman that the Cabinet did not approve the use of indelible ink although the EC had initially agreed to use it.

"The election ran smoothly, the results have been announced and everybody has accepted it so, why should it be made an issue," he said. Read the Bernama report here

(So who's telling the truth? Obviously one of them is lying.)


Earlier report:

Remember the announcement made by the Election Commission three days before the March 8 polls that the indeilible ink was not going to be used on polling day citing public order and security reasons?

Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said then the EC was obliged to make a firm and final decision to ensure the smooth conduct of the 12th general election.

Of course, we didnt buy the reasons given and the only conclusion we could make from the announcement was that the Barisan was losing big time on the ground and resorting to using another dirty trick, (read here and here)

Today Rashid dsiclosed that it was the Cabinet's decision not to approve the use of use of indelible ink during the March 8 election and he was told to take responsibility for agreeing to it.



"The Cabinet gave two very strong reasons why they did not agree to it – security and the law - Article 119, concerning the basic right for everyone to vote, and I agreed with them," he said.

It’s not easy being EC chairperson. I took the rap over the years,” Abdul Rashid said, adding that the commission wanted a review of election regulations.

He said that the commission should have a bigger control over the electoral process under Article 113 to Article 120 of the Federal Constitution. To continue, read here

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kak

I just picked this up at my blog too.

This is ridiculous, isn't it? He was MADE to be responsible? I believe it was his responsibility to start with, since he's the Chairman of the EC, and the EC is supposed to be there to ensure that the voters get a fair election.

The Cabinet shouldn't have butted their heads into whether the indelible ink should or shouldn't be used. And as the Chairman of EC, he should have just marah-ed them and asked them to "mind their own business".

SO now that he's said that it was the Cabinet's big idea to not use the indelible ink, does he think he's going to get away with it?

Wonder what Pak Lah and the rest of the old Cabinet line-up will have to answer to this "Barisan Nasional disaster".

Hi&Lo said...

Didn't the EC chief say only Umno can rule the country otherwise...?

As EC chief he should be independent and seen to be independent.

Anonymous said...

This is another one of those commission and one of those chairman of a commission. Cheap thrill commission and cheap publicity commissioner!!

He was quoted as saying the indelible ink could not be used because of security reason, that was after million dollars has been spent on the ink.

Now, he said it was the Cabinet decision to scrap the usage of the ink. That was also after the million of dollars spent!!

Tonight, the PM said IT WAS NOT the cabinet decision but the EC. One of them could be a liar!!

It is absurd and ridiculous of the highest order!! Maybe we should set up another `commission' to investigate the EC!!!

Ramli Mohd Yunus
Alor Star.

Anonymous said...

He was told to take responsibilty for agreeing to it..it is Tan Sri Rashid la..the EC Chairman.

A good laugh for a very `patriotic' deed on the part of an EC Chairman. Taking a stupid blame from a stupid `disclaimer'!!

Ramli Mohd Yunus
Alor Star.

Rozaimi Bin Mohd Said said...

I have also commented in my blog...put it this way...the government has been interfering with EC's business. It is a public secret. Cabinet made the decision. The Chairman left with no option but to agree with it. Once he agreed, he had to take responsibility for it...They are all idiot!!! There can be two things now...either the ACA to investigate for abuse of power or charge the Chairman under the infamous Sedition Act.

http://www.rozaimims.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Michelle and all,

It is so very BN culture - refusing to own up or to take responsibility and passing the buck when something's gone wrong.

They speak with so much wisdom on hindsght - always after everything is done and over with.

Pak Lah has denied what Rashid said abt the inky issue, which doesnt surprise me at all,

I would be -if he had admitted.

The Infinite said...

Now he has made a voluntary confession that the election commision is not and independent body but under the thumb of the goverment of the day, that stinks ,he has betrayed the nation to hold free and fair elections , The BN is holding unto power by illegal means, they would not have got even the simple majority if elections had been free and fair . BN won the simlpe majority it by hook or crook , the formation of the new govt is itself illegal

Anonymous said...

Kak

In a way, what they're saying coincide, I think. Because EC Chairman is saying that the Cabinet didn't want to use the ink, and the EC Chairman agreed with what they said.

Pak Lah is saying that the Cabinet DID discuss this ink issue with the EC Chairman, but it was in form of ADVICE, and the final decision would belong to the EC Chairman.

So basically, the Cabinet DID tell the EC Chairman what they think he should do, but whatever he decides, he should take full responsibility.

No contradiction, I believe.

Only difference is they don't agree on who should shoulder the blame.

I still think the Cabinet shouldn't have had a say though. Because it's pretty dodgy, and the government could have just coined up stories that influenced the decision by the EC Chairman.

Part of being impartial is not listening to what the government has to say.

tajudin said...

hard to find "good boy" today huh!

and at the same time,

"i'm telling you the truth, nothing but the truth!"

Anonymous said...

Tok mommy

If you trace back the sequence of events, Rashid said that the deision to scrap the use of the ink was made the day Parliament was dissolved, Wednesday, February 13.

But the EC announced the ink would be used three days before the polls citing security reasons based on a police report of a potential sabotage.

But recently, the police said they hadnt any evidence on the matter.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said in a written reply to Fong Po Kuan (DAP - Batu Gajah) in Dewan Rakyat Tuesday that after studying the report that it had received and interviewing all the witnesses and complainant involved, the police found no such evidence, according to a report from the Star: inks here:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/6/nation/20080506155918&sec=nation

So whose idea was it to have the ink scrap and when exactly.

Anonymous said...

So with this latest instalment of "He said, he said", the saga of the indelible ink continues. If nothing else, the ink has at least lived up to its moniker.

The moral of the story - jangan main2 with things indelible, they have this uncanny ability to “linger”.