EC Scraps Indelible Ink Plan

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PUTRAJAYA, March 4 (Bernama) -- The Election Commission (EC) has scrapped the indelible ink plan for the March 8 general election following legal advice, its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said. He said that the decision made at a meeting today was also to ensure security and public order.
"Police investigations reveal that there are irresponsible people who bought ink from foreign countries in order to persuade those not familiar with the procedure to have the ink applied (to a voter's forefinger or nail) before polling day," he told a press conference at the EC headquarters, here.
"The EC is very disappointed. However, it has to make a firm and final decision to ensure a smooth polling process and for the sake of security and public order," he explained.
Also present at the press conference were Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.
Prior to this the EC had announced that it would use a special black ink from India to avoid cheating in the upcoming election.
However, this would not apply to postal voters, who already had other declarations to determine the authenticity of their votes.
The indelible ink plan, costing less than RM1 million, was to appease parties, who had pressured the EC to introduce certain procedures to prevent rigging in the voting process.
Abdul Rashid said that the activity occurred especially in the rural and interior areas, and the aim was to create confusion and suspicion on the status of the voters concerned.
"They 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," he said.
He said that if these voters presented themselves at the voting centres, it would result in a chaotic situation, which might be difficult to control as the candidates' agents and EC staff would get confused over the status of the voters.
Abdul Rashid stressed that the voting process, security and public order could not be compromised.
Abdul Rashid said that the plan was also scrapped because of the need to legislate a law allowing a voter whose nail or forefinger had been applied with the ink or one who refused, to be given the voting paper.
He said that if the indelible ink was to be introduced it should not affect the rights of a voter to vote under the Federal Constitution unless he was no longer given this right under the law.
Abdul Rashid said that the EC was not pressured by any political parties in making the decision and hoped that all the relevant parties would accept the decision.
"The EC wants to have this as part of the system, but it looks like circumstances do not permit, so be patient," he said.
Abdul Rashid said despite allegations of cheating during a voting process, the EC has not received any evidence.
"So, in order to convince these people, I have to meet their demand in a way that we are doing now, since other countries are doing, why not we," he said.
Asked why the EC made the initial plan to use indelible ink, he said it was part of the commission's effort "because we were asked to do, whatever way we can in order to convince people that there is no cheating in the election."
Commenting on other parties getting the ink, Abdul Rashid said: It is known to the whole world where to get this ink, even if we didn't tell them they would have known."
Meanwhile, Gani when asked whether the indelible ink method could be used in future elections, said that the Federal Constitution needed to be amended first.
"The amendment can be made provided the government of the day agrees, and if parliament approves, and the Royal consent (is given), it will become law," he said.

tunku : this another symptom of flip floppy decision. why in the first place EC did not study thoroughly regarding the use of the ink. after making all the announcement,wasting public money more than RM2million, suddenly you scraped it.way to do it EC, you have shown at last that you people are HP6 type.