Make Up Your Mind, Electoral Commission

 

By Mariam Mokhtar

In the first Bersih rally, in 2007, in which Malaysians marched for free and fair elections, the event drew around 30,000 people. The rally was marred when the police provoked the crowds and used water cannons firing chemical laced water, baton charges and tear gas canisters against them.

As a result of Bersih and the Hindraf march which happened 10 days later, BN lost its grip on power in Malaysia and the Prime Minister then, Abdullah Badawi was reported to have said that the Election Commission (EC) had acceded to several of Bersih’s requests and that the opposition was continually blaming the EC for irregularities.

He said, “They wanted a transparent ballot box and the use of indelible ink to prevent multiple voting. The EC has agreed to that. Other than that, they can negotiate with the commission”.

He suggested that the electoral gains made by the Opposition after the GE were because the EC was not tainted.

Fast forward to 2011 and BN is under pressure again. Apart from the usual grievances regarding electoral fraud, the EC is accused of condoning double-voting and vote-buying.

Perhaps, the scrutiny into their lack of performance has forced the EC to say that BN does not have undue influence on any of their decisions.

Perhaps, the intense public disapproval means the EC and BN have forgotten their election pledges for reform which they made last 2007.

The most damaging of these reforms, for the EC, would be the use of indelible ink which is simple, cheap and foolproof.

In 2011, the EC suggested that finger printing was necessary to avoid electoral fraud. In a climbdown from the statement issued by Badawi in 2007, it then announced that using indelible ink was a backward practice.

According to Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, the EC deputy chairman, Bersih’s demand for indelible ink to be used in an attempt to prevent electoral fraud would create chaos and make a mockery of Malaysia’s image as a progressive and developing country.

He said, “Countries that use indelible ink are countries like Indonesia, India, Zambia and Zimbabwe….. These are countries with more than double the population of Malaysia and where not all its citizens own identification cards.

“These countries are not up to our level so why should we adopt their system? This is a choice between progression and regression.”

Perhaps, Wan Ahmad is not aware that as a nation, we have already regressed. Our leaders lack morals and have no desire to give up their hold on power. Malaysia does not have the rule of law. It says one thing about corruption, but does very little to eradicate it. There are many recorded abuses of electoral law, which are brushed aside by the EC. The EC is already compromised and is not an effective organisation to uphold the electoral rights of its people.

Wan Ahmad then raised fears that voters would not agree with having their fingers painted with ink and asked if these people would not be eligible to vote.

He said, “Disqualifying them would go against their rights.”

In a further attempt to prevent the use of indelible ink, he expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the method.

“I also heard that indelible ink can be easily obtained from Thailand. What if voters ink their fingers themselves before casting their vote? Can you imagine the chaos that will erupt when they are barred from voting?”

This reminds us of the MACC lawyer Abdul Razak Musa who tried to strangle himself in the Teoh Beng Hock inquest.

However, Wan Ahmad is not alone in advocating the use of fingerprinting. According to Bernama, the EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohamad Yusof was reported to have said that plans were underway to ‘record voters’ fingerprints to verify their identities before allowing them to cast their ballots’.

He said, “Then (a voter) will be considered to have voted, and the individual concerned cannot go to another polling station with the identity card to again cast his or her vote”.

The EC appears to have lost all credibility and powers of reasoning.

Every decision or statement it makes seem to suggest that it has no desire to clean up the electoral process in Malaysia. Just like Umno/BN, it does not care or even want to be seen to champion the right of everyone to have free, clean and fair election.

If only the EC had the imagination and perspicacity to realise that if it had agreed to engage with Bersih, it’s reputation and those of its office-bearers, would be much improved.

The bottom line is money. Ink is relatively cheap compared with fancy gadgets like biometric readers.

Naturally, Umno/BN are afraid that the use of the simple and relatively cheap way of addressing voter fraud with indelible ink will oust Umno/BN from power.

They are only concerned with the economics of the system. Which method will net them more money especially as the award to purchase expensive equipment will not be transparent and will be given to one of their cronies?

What is a few hundred thousand ringgits in indelible ink, when Umno/BN cronies can charge several hundred millions and dupe us into handing over more money to those who already benefit from the public purse?

Reducing electoral fraud is perhaps the least of the EC’s problems. Making Umno/BN stay in power is more important.