MACC to investigate indelible ink fiasco
(TMI) – The Malaysian Anti -Corruption Commission (MACC) has set up a task force to investigate the indelible ink fiasco, focusing on whether there was a criminal breach of trust or misuse of power in the purchase of the ink.
The head of the commission’s investigations department Datuk Mustafar Ali confirmed the probe but declined to elaborate further.
But The Malaysian Insider understands that the task force was set up last week. There has been a public outcry over the issues surrounding the use of the indelible ink at the May 5 polls.
Adopted as a security measure to ensure that voters only voted once and to assure Malaysians that the polls were fair, the ink was meant to stay for a few days. But voters noted that the ink could be scrubbed off.
The Election Commission was embarrassed by this disclosure and clarified that a diluted form of ink was used to comply with halal standards. But in Parliament this past week, the tale of the indelible ink got longer.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim admitted during the Dewan Rakyat session that the indelible ink used in the general election contained food colouring.
He was replying to questions posed by Segambut Member of Parliament Lim Lip Eng. He further added that the absence of the required chemical was the reason the ink was easily washed off.
He also said that due to security reasons, EC decided to not reveal the identity of the suppliers. It cost RM7.1 million to buy, package, store and transport the ink.
The indelible ink fiasco was only one of several issues which cropped up during the elections and created mistrust about the electoral system.
Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/macc-to-investigate-indelible-ink-fiasco/
