Voters Still Confused About Indelible Ink

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysians are still confused with the use of indelible ink which will be used for the first time, even as the 13th general election is fast approaching.

Registered voters, met at random by the writer, generally thought that indelible ink was a gadget used to mark the ballot paper on polling day.

Among them was civil servant, Khairunila Khalid, 50, who said she thought the indelible ink referred to a pen which could be used to mark the ballot paper compared to previously used pencils.

Sharing the same view was customer relations executive, Noor Ain Isaak, 26, who would be voting for the first time: "I thought the indelible ink is used to mark the ballot paper so that the vote cannot be altered."

Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof when met by Bernama recently clarified that the use of the indelible ink referred to the marking of the left index finger of the voter before being given the ballot paper.

He stressed that its use was to prevent repeated voting as claimed by some parties and to increase the people's confidence in the transparency of the voting process.

"Previously, there were accusations against the EC alleging that Malaysians voted more than once, although it hasn't been proven at all.

"However, EC made the move on the suggestion of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform," he said.

The use of indelible ink for the 13th general election is in line with the Election Regulations (Conduct of Elections) (Amendment) 2012, gazetted in February last year.

Abdul Aziz said the indelible ink however would not be applicable for postal voters.

"We have various provisions for voters who do not have the left index finger or are disabled," he said.

Abdul Aziz said the EC would be using two types of ink with different levels of durability for early voters and regular voters.

"For early voters, the ink will last longer as we do not want allegations of the same person voting again as a regular voter on polling day. For normal voting, we are using a different colour ink.

"EC will be distributing the ink to the polling stations along with other stationeries such as brushes, finger pads, ballot papers and boxes on the evening before polling day," he said.

Abdul Aziz said the use of the indelible ink had been approved by the Chemistry Department, Health Ministry and the National Fatwa Committee.

Indelible ink was proposed for the 12th general election in 2008 but was dropped on legal advice as well as public order and security aspects.

-- BERNAMA