Thanks to Famil for highlighting this news to me.
LATEST!: EC scraps plan to use indelible ink
For security reasons and legal implications, indelible ink will not be used on polling day this Sunday. The Election Commission today decided not to proceed with its proposal to introduce the ink as the election process and public order and security could not be compromised.
EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the commission was obliged to make this firm and final decision in fulfilling its duties and discharging its responsibilities.
Relevant laws, including the Election Offences Act 1954, had to be amended if the ink is to be used, he told a packed Press conference at the EC headquarters.
The EC, Rashid said, had agreed in principle to use the ink to mark the fingernail of a voter before a ballot paper is issued.
"According to our original proposal, a person whose fingernail has been marked with indelible ink shall not be issued with a ballot paper."
He cited Article 119 of the Federal Constitution that guaranteed the right of a registered voter to vote. "This means he cannot be denied the right to vote unless he is disqualified to vote under the law.
"Laws providing otherwise shall be ultra vires the Federal Constitution. This means a person whose fingernail has been marked with the ink or a person who refuses to have his fingernail marked cannot be denied the right to be issued with a ballot paper,” Rashid said.
"The provision of law that needs to be drafted, if the use of indelible ink is to be introduced, cannot affect the right of a voter to vote. Hence, the law to be drafted must make a provision to allow a voter whose fingernail appears to have been marked with indelible ink and a voter who refused to have his fingernail marked, to be issued with a ballot paper. Such a provision of the law will not serve the EC's original intention in introducing the use of the ink.”
From the practical point of view, Rashid said 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. In fact, it had potential to create misunderstandings, altercations and arguments at polling stations.
Comments:
Millions of dollars had being spent and it was absurd that EC did not know about the problems with the law until now. The Attorney-General's office should have advised about it long ago. Why had they taken so long to discover this problem? It's either the A-G office were negligent or the EC were reckless; and in both case, the government must bear the full responsibility and be made accountable for wasting public funds.
This is the price we pay for incompetency and moronism.
Abdul Rashid said the elections would cost RM200mil this time around – RM65mil more than the last elections – because of the new features to be introduced.
The transparent ballot boxes cost RM16mil.
250,000 people will be employed as compared to the last election which employed 175,000, all of whom will be paid between RM150 to RM800 a day.
Abdul Rashid said the indelible ink would cost about RM1mil.
But when the ink arrived from India it was reported in The Star that it had cost more than RM2mil.
[quote]: The indelible ink, costing over RM2mil, will make its first appearance in the general election.[unquote]
Source: The Star 22nd Feb 2008: Indelible ink arrives from India, and confirmed here: 47,000 bottles of ink arrive from India and here EC cancels use of indelible ink
29 comments:
This is highly suspicious! If other countries can implement it with confidence, why can't ours? It is a grave incompetence on all agencies involved if it is genuine.
Otherwise, I would say it is a plot to play down the critics when they announced it and as the winds of change appeared strong, reversed the decision with cooked up stories, to support thier "Phantom of the Opera"! Which big cover up or scheme of work by government does not rope in the infamous IGP and AG? You name it...
Bersih cases
Hindraf cases
Lingworm case
Nurul case
Anymore?
rashid and all the moron MPs who supported the constitutional amendment to continue his tenure as SPR chairman should pay us back 3 million!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT'S OUR MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a load of bull from the EC Chairman! Incompetence or pretending to be incompetent are both equally sinful.
I presume the ink has been bought. so millions of RM have been spent on the ink and now this piece of anal dump says that they are not going to use it? do you now see why is it that important to BN that this lowlife's service be extended for another year? I hope that PAS capitalise on this issue and bring some senses to the malay majority. BN has just convinced me to NEVER EVER VOTE FOR THEM AGAIN! #@$$(^%(#@
What a load of crap. This piece of shit will sell his mother and daughter to see to it that his masters' interest are well looked after.
Someone told me there are many phantom voters at his area, his friend received RM500 to the work and he was also offered RM500 to vote as a phantom voter
To make a good use of the indelible ink, just spray the ink on Dollah, and all Parliament member that pass the constitution that prolong rashit term.
this is pure crap. remember what the nazri fella said.."gotta make sure its not haram"..you mean he is oblivious to the laws.
WTF.
Msiaman,
The points raised by EC about the possibly violation of Constitutional rights are realistic and factual.
The legal point is not unknown and it puzzles why the A-G had not at the earlier stage advised accordingly.It tantamount to negligence or recklessness on the part of the legal highest office which reports to the PM who would have to shoulder the blame and be made accountable.
CK Tan,
You are right; the govt keeps screwing up the public coffers.
Ycg,
This issue will cost the BN much setback.
Ra Shit,
Do you have some kind of evidence that can be authenticated?
Moo_t,
Good suggestion; but it may be a bit evil.
IN DEFENSE OF Dato Seri Anwar
Hey! Dr Chandra Muzaffar are you trying to dazzle the poor Malaysians with your “Doctor” whatever that stands for; please la Doc. That Phd. Does not mean shit, It does not make you more intelligent and it does not neam that you are any smater than when you started. A Phd. Just means that you had taken an in depth study of one aspect of a subject and as a matter of fact a Phd merely leads to a career in teaching, Our Asian people are so awed by that Phd., thinking that these Phd. Types Know it all, nothing is further from the truth.
Comrade Chandra to my way of thinking, and by your claims made against Dato Seri, I say that you are bloody naïve. We are all humans (I think so) and we have emotions and full of bias and prejudices; and above all we are in truth all racist. I am racist & you are racist, and the only difference between a Mahatma Ghandi type saint and an ARYAN Nazi thug is that most of us who dare claim that he is not racist (you can leave me out because I am racist) are those who’ve got a two bit claim to having higher education, a wanna be intelltual. Comrade Chandra says that Dato Seri in the past had been consistently not in favour of Chinese and maybe he is truthful, while Dr Lim Kheng Yaik claims that Dato Seri is chamileon and in Lim Kheng Yaik’s experience with Dato Seri he could be speaking the truth. Bearing in mind that we all carry a lot of baggage are we correct in our estimation of the man. We are all very complex and we are all driven by self interests; therefore what oue see is not really what is the man ! We can never tell what a man will do in all circumstances because what we see as the man is only the tip of the iceberg.
Politics is all about perception and creating an IMAGE of the politician, and we just cannot know what the whole man is in truth. For Dr Chandra & Dr Lim Kheng Yaik to say that they both ahd worked with Dato Seri and that they know the man is ingenious. Both these Dr.’s are playing their support for the BN and not quite really to give an assessment of Dato Seri for what he is factually, because that will be beyond their capability. Having said that I say both of them are naïve THAT IS NOT HOW THE GAME OF POLITICS IS PLAYED. We can only take Dato Seri at his word and the issue is therefore ARE WE HAPPY WITH HIS PROGRAMME FOR HIS GOVERNMENT ? That to my mind is all that we need to ask and we will have to take him at his word; because we just cannot do otherwise. WE DO NOT NEED TO KNOW WHAT IN TRUTH HE IS LIKE AND THAT BY OUR UNDERSTANDING HE WILL OR WILL NOT DLIVER WHAT HE HAD PROMISED FOR THE ELECTION. There is no need to go too far out of the way; ask yourselves what had BN promised for the last election (1999) and did BN deliver ? I do not think so !
Dato Seri and the United Front of DAP, PAS and Keadilan HAS MADE IT THEIR PLATFORM that if elected he and his United Front will deliver a GOVERNMENT FOR ALL MALAYSIANS AND TO STEP BACK FROM RACE BASED POLITICS. That is what we must accept for the truth; and if he ever fail to deliver then the next election vote him and his United Front out. This is what will therefore develop into a TWO PARTY POLITICAL STRUCTURE. Is this not what we want, and what is the profit if we just not believe him and we merely take the word og the two Dr.’s both of them are pretentious and know it all. I say do not listen to them shooting hot air. VOTE OPPOSITION and let 2 party politics develop.
there you go...
you pay peanuts, you get monkey!
in the Ming Dynasty, the Emperor appointed Justice Bao to guide his leadership..
of course he did not da-bao all the country wealth like our Bao-Bao BN ministers and their families, instead he made good the country and calm the people - no tear gas, water canon, no monsoon cup, no demonstration, no rempits, no human-faced monkeys (on motorbikes mainly originated from Rembau!) etc.
EC is a tool for government to win all elections, be it in past, current, and future.
you need a moron with evil minds to successfully lead such EC organisation where the people are mainly living-deads "creatures".
looking at the present scenarios, EC and the BN will not last anything longer than 8 March because with EC, there are people who hated themselves for being living-dead creatures. these creatures wanted life, and will go for change... they will support other than BN, rest assured!
let us all early leave home to voting centre and choose our choice, Barisan Rakyat leadership.
am done!!!
I agree that it was a sloppy work on the part of the EC.
And I recall when it was proposed, the opposition went up in arms against it. Now they should be happy.
I believe the scrapping of the plan to use indelible ink is a pre-planned thing. The Govt could go the extra mile in extending the tenure of the Election Commissioner and yet they 'forgot' to amend the constitution for the ink's usage.
See, the Govt is again taking the Rakyat as fools.
i warned you all about this matter last friday...coincidence!!!
maybe not
Bersih started with Clean & Fair Election
driving thousands & thousands into the Rallies!
When Indelible Ink be out
Any point of Bersih been achieved?
Except falling into "Get BN Out with Any Opposition"?
With Phantom Voters, non-registered Eligible Voters, Postal Vote, misplace of Voters into Constituencies, manipulate of Constituencies, Change of recounting system, etc..
FLIP-FLOP, BIAS, non-Independent, Manipulation of EC Chief, etc..
WHY BERSIH HAS TO ACT AFTER GE AND NOT BEFORE
AND AGAIN to be by FAIL-PROVEN RCI?
http://bersih.org/?p=991#more-991
Who are those "team of lawyers" to gather evidence of fraud/vote-buying and to file injunction to stop the 8 March 2008 general election.”
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/3148/84/
WHO ARE THE PHANTOM BEHIND BERSIH?
AND GET MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITIES?
Anyone will look at PKR without Bersih, Lingnam case, Hindraf Rallies?
ARE THOSE LAWYERS ALSO PHANTOM TOO?
WHO DRIVE VOTERS BUT FAILING EVEN TO TOUCH ONE EC CHIEF WHO IS UNDOUBTEDLY TUMBLING BLOCK OF A CLEAN AND FAIR EC!!
Imaginative Oppositions:
http://chinhuatw.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/wanted-an-imaginative-opposition/#comments
Had the Manifesto of PKR talked about the cleaning of loopholes, especially the "darkest" Ministry of Finance?
Or how much money could have been siphoned?
Or how much money could the Government received without taxing even the Middle-class?
Or, how big the Government Budgets been Inflated?
From where he can promise the Minimum RM1500 wages (but not stabilizing prices)?
Will Foreign Invest 100billion without having a Credible, Accountable and Transparent Government
Into a country with Courts & Lawyers gang-up?
EC fooling Rakyats!
Is PKR fooling the Rakyats as well?
is not Ming Dynasty but song that got Bao gong.. btw, song fell to mongol invasion.....
Maverick,
I don’t have any evidence, according the person who claims there are many phantom voters at his area, his friend is a son of a minister and all phantom voters are ready to move to Penang and Kelantan so that BN can take over both areas from PAS and DAP.
I found this article from a website that correspond to his statement.
OPERASI RAHSIA TAWAN KELANTAN DENGAN PENGUNDI HANTU
1. Sepanjang tempoh pendaftaran daftar pemilih, BN dengan kerjasama SPR membuat operasi untuk membolehkan wujudnya "pengundi terancang" (planted voters) di negeri Kelantan iaitu pengundi yang boleh dirancang pengundiannya oleh BN.
2. Seterusnya, semasa musim pilihanraya, BN akan menggerakkan jenteranya untuk mengumpulkan "pengundi-pengundi upahan" dari luar Kelantan bagi dikerahkan ke Kelantan dan juga di kalangan petugas BN di dalam negeri Kelantan untuk mengundi dengan menggunakan nama dan ID "pengundi terancang" yang telah diwujudkan di dalam daftar pemilih. Untuk menggerakkan usaha ini, BN biasanya berselindung di sebalik operasi kempen balik mengundi seperti yang dijalankan sekarang sebagai "Pakat Kelik Ngundi" tetapi sebenarnya adalah untuk menggerakkan pengundi upahan dan untuk merasionalisasikan peratus keluar mengundi yang akan meningkat kerana pengundian pengundi terancang tersebut.
3. Pada kali ini, PAS difahamkan BN sanggup membayar upah sebanyak RM300 sehingga RM600 setiap seorang yang turun mengundi ke Kelantan. Tawaran ini dikemukakan kepada sesiapa sahaja yang berminat tanpa perlu memastikan samada orang tersebut pengundi di Kelantan ataupun tidak. Bagi pengundi upahan yang bukan pengundi berdaftar di negeri Kelantan, PAS percaya satu kaedah pengeluaran ID secara tidak sah (pemalsuan ID) dibuat bagi membolehkan mereka (pengundi upahan) mengundi di atas daftar nama pengundi terancang. Ini boleh diandaikan benar kerana pada pilihanraya sebelum ini, terdapat pengundi berdaftar yang tidak dapat mengundi kerana rekod menunjukkan ada pengundi lain yang mengundi di atas daftar nama beliau. Melalui operasi begini juga, tidak mustahil berlaku seorang pengundi upahan mengundi bagi lebih daripada satu daftar nama (multiple voting) dalam negeri yang sama.
4. Operasi sebegini telah dilaksanakan oleh BN untuk menjatuhkan Kerajaan PAS di Terengganu pada tahun 2004.
Something is really fishy here. Other countries have used the indelible ink and experienced no problem, like social unrest. So why should it be in our case? Knowing the corrupt nature of this government, I personally feel that someone has pocketed part of or the whole of the RM1m and now they are unable to produce the ink for use. So the only excuse is, very simple, call it off and cook up some silly excuses as to why the ink could not be used since there is no ink anyway. As a matter of fact, has anyone seen the ink? Here, they lied again, and yet there many who are prepared to elect these liars back into office?
I was skeptical from day one. My original thought was that the ink can be scratch off from the nail easily. That's why they are playing along.
Erection Commotion.. hopeless circus jokers.
is this a last ditch effort of a dying regime to turn the tide against them ...
Do they know something that we don't?
True to its name, the ink is now truly not visible in the coming election. Though no eyes can see, the nose can smell...
something is real fishy..
Yapchongyee,
Every politician had a past; or had something done or said in the past that do not reflect the current ideologies and belief system.
Anwar will have to defend himself against the accusation.
Warrior2,
I have kept records of the indelible ink issues of articles published in the local newspaper and I don't recall that the opposition had objected to the use of it in absoluteness. They had express concerned of how the EC would manage and control and PAS had openly endorsed the use of the ink.
So, I do not understand your point of contention.
Blow d' Whistle,
I believed that something had cropped up and of which is detrimental to BN which could be why a sudden about turn.
Sharing,
I am perplex when you posed: "Is PKR fooling the Rakyat as well". Could you elaborate.
Denzook,
You're citing Chinese history???
Ra Shit,
The mail may just be rumours.
Billy,
There are genuine issue regarding the Constitutional rights being infringed if the ink is used and voters are prevented from exercising their rights.
But todays news headlines seems to imply some conspiracy theory involving the opposition. The media is spinning a new theory.
Hasilox,
You may be right; we may not have known something untold.
Helen,
Fishy? Ya, looks like!!!
According to Rashit logic, we sould burn all our money because of four cases of caunterfeit money.
Maverick,
1. Have to emphasize that it is purely personal reasoning when putting together the Sequence of Events and with rumors of who is behind those
Rallies and eventually who will be getting more benefit than it could be.
2. It is also done by comparing with the situation of previous elections especially 2004 Election!
http://chinhuatw.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/10-years-since-reformasi-taking-stock/#more-103
In all respect, I must say most People are more emotional than rational. The only net result after all the Rallies and until today is "Vote out BN with any Opposition".
With the promotion of NO 3-corner flight, PKR already get more chance than they could have.
3. Do you think any CHANGE can be done if without 1/2 Parliament seats in hands under one "consolidated" party, such as BR?
But, any Party says this is a condition for the Change they pledged?
4. Is MTH a person who will "confess" easily as much as "framing" Anwar without hinder agenda and now his is promoting "Opposition"!!
5. Further imaginative:
http://chinhuatw.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/wanted-an-imaginative-opposition/#respond
It is too Political in all sides!!
Maverick,
Do you think ABW was put up by MHT so he can "safely" retired?
And, election of ABW was driven by emotion!!
Since ABW not working well, should a replacement be put in as well?
Will BN survive the 2/3?
DSAI, until today, had not tell the public the "dark" side of MOF which made most if not all the loopholes of Government possible!!
This involved not only him but MTH!
Can DSAI get 100 billion foreign investment without straightening the whole system of Malaysia?
Will it be more possible to be from "Reflux" money??
Had MTH made some Gentleman Agreement before he retired??
GE will be "safely" pushed through even without a Clean & Fair EC or election!!
Are we looking at a Buck Bunny Show??
Sharing,
If BR do not win enough, that is 51%, no change can be effected. But that's not what we are hoping at this moment; what we desire is that there is sufficient legislators to block any attempt to discriminate the rakyat or to pass laws that are detrimental to the rakyat's interests.
I don't think there is any gentlemen agreement between TDM and AAB.
I think this election result will be dramatic.
Maverick,
Thank confirmation that only 1/2 Parliament seats could make the CHANGE!
If BR cannot hold more than 1/2 in Parliament, can they push even the answers of Ministers on the AG's reports?
Can they stop the bully of BN passing law like the extension of EC Chief?
If no new legislation to STOP the loop-holes in Constitution, Laws and System, the leaking pipes which are already at their maximum are exhausting the revenue, any CHANCE OF RECOVERY?
Your explanation only acceptable when we are doing the preventive and not curing one with bleedings all around!
---------
If People cannot push this 1/2 through they should not expect change to be from any Opposition!
So, they cannot complain if this is well understood before hand!!
TO ALL VOTERS,
GIVE BR 1/2 OF THE PARLIAMENT SEATS TO STOP THE LOOPHOLES to enable the CHANGE!!
The Cradling of BR remains a topic after GE
If and ONLY if BR has 1/2 of the Parliament seats as Conditions to Grow!
Sharing,
We can't find the medicine to cure off the shelve. If the majority of the seats are won by the ruling BN then the citizens must accept the verdict and live with the system.
The problem is: even if the oppositions win more than 51% of the votes they still lose because in our democratic system it is the number of seats that counts, and that means which ever party wins the majority number of seats gets to form the next govt. I believe you understand "Gerrymandering".
Post a Comment