Malaysia does not need indelible ink

Wow....... upon seeing this title... my first thoughts....... Is Malaysia really that special and different that they don´t need indelible ink for elections?! Is Malaysian government that reliable and trustworthy that they can be trusted with not modifying the votes they received? If you actually answer yes to those questions.... then why is it that the citizens of Malaysia are going "gaga" regarding the past general elections in May? Everyone saying it is fraud, that phantom voters are being shipped into the country to ensure that the so called "trustworthy" BN wins the election? I wonder if its just pure stupidity of the rulers reigning in Malaysia or the greed of them wanting to win the election time after time?

Sometimes, I feel sorry that many people, especially the government, are still living their lives "under the rock"..... 

Link : Malaysia does not need indelible ink

‘Malaysia does not need indelible ink’

Anisah Shukry

 | June 27, 2013

There is no need to use indelible ink as Malaysia is not a third world country and identification cards are there for verification, says Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia does not need indelible ink because it is not a third world country, Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor today, amid controversy over the reported lack of silver nitrate present in the ink.

The Putrajaya MP, popularly known as Ku Nan, said this in response to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim’s revelation yesterday that the indelible ink was made up of only permitted food colouring.

Silver nitrate is the component used to prevent the ink from washing off. The EC had previously blamed the ink’s quick removal on the low level of silver nitrate used.

“Actually, we don’t need indelible ink. Why do we need it? We are not a third world country. We have ICs (identification cards),” Tengku Adnan, who is also the Barisan Nasional secretary-general, told reporters in the parliament lobby.

“Indelible ink is used in countries that do not have identification. The opposition asked for it, parliament agreed, so we followed it,” he said.

He also praised the Election Commission (EC) for reportedly not using any chemicals in the ink.

Tengku Adnan said the EC was concerned so instead of putting chemicals, they used food dye because they were worried it would hurt the people.

“We care for the people and we don’t simply put chemicals for them to use. In India, the ink may be there for one or two months. This is very bad for the health,” he said.

Shahidan said yesterday that 216,600 bottles of indelible ink were used in the 13th general election at a cost of RM6.9 million.

“But when you add the transport costs, packaging and storage of the ink, the cost ballooned to RM7.1 million,” he said in a written reply.

The EC had assured the public that the ink – which is used to prevent voters from casting their ballots twice – would last for seven days after application.

Instead, many voters complained of the ink washing off within hours of voting, and this has sparked an outcry among Opposition leaders demanding an explanation

- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/06/27/malaysia-does-not-need-indelible-ink%E2%80%99/#sthash.YJzIzqdV.dpuf