Ku Nan: We don't need indelible ink
Ram AnandPublished: Jun 27, 2013 5:01 AM | Updated: Jun 27, 2013 10:04 AM
Malaysia does not need to use indelible ink as part of its electoral process because this is not a "Third World country", Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today.
Malaysia does not need to use indelible ink as part of its electoral process because this is not a "Third World country", Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today.
Speaking to reporters outside the Dewan Rakyat, Tengku Adnan (left) said the use of indelible ink was only agreed on in Parliament because "the opposition wanted it".
"They wanted it, so Parliament agreed. But having too much of chemicals in the ink is not good for the health of the people," Tengku Adnan said.
"In India, it lasts for one or two months. It is not healthy," he added.
"The chemicals were reduced because the government cares for the people," he said.
He added that the system where the MyKad is used was good enough for the country and it did not specifically need indelible ink as well.
Why the rise in cost?
Meanwhile, in a separate press conference later, DAP's Seremban MP Anthony Loke questioned the rise in cost to deliver the indelible ink during the elections between 2008 to 2013.
In 2008, the total cost to buy the indelible ink - though it was eventually not used during the election - was RM2.4 million, but the cost has risen up to RM 7.1 million this year.
"We had over 10 million voters in the 2008 election, and we had over 13 million voters this (2013) election. That was an increase by about 20 percent," he said.
"But why is the indelible ink cost rising by almost three times?" Loke (right) asked.
He also demanded that the Election Commission (EC) discloses the identity of the company that has supplied the indelible ink this time and urged them to "stop protecting the company".
Speaking to reporters outside the Dewan Rakyat, Tengku Adnan (left) said the use of indelible ink was only agreed on in Parliament because "the opposition wanted it"."They wanted it, so Parliament agreed. But having too much of chemicals in the ink is not good for the health of the people," Tengku Adnan said.
"In India, it lasts for one or two months. It is not healthy," he added.
"The chemicals were reduced because the government cares for the people," he said.
He added that the system where the MyKad is used was good enough for the country and it did not specifically need indelible ink as well.
Why the rise in cost?
Meanwhile, in a separate press conference later, DAP's Seremban MP Anthony Loke questioned the rise in cost to deliver the indelible ink during the elections between 2008 to 2013.
In 2008, the total cost to buy the indelible ink - though it was eventually not used during the election - was RM2.4 million, but the cost has risen up to RM 7.1 million this year."We had over 10 million voters in the 2008 election, and we had over 13 million voters this (2013) election. That was an increase by about 20 percent," he said.
"But why is the indelible ink cost rising by almost three times?" Loke (right) asked.
He also demanded that the Election Commission (EC) discloses the identity of the company that has supplied the indelible ink this time and urged them to "stop protecting the company".
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