A blogger has shot down the Election Commission's (EC) claim that it requires approval from the National Fatwa Council before adopting indelible ink in elections, saying a fatwa on the matter already exists.

Accusing the EC of using delaying tactics, blogger Tulang Besi said a fatwa approving the use of indelible ink had been issued in 2007.

A check on the e-fatwa website shows that the National Fatwa Council had, at a special conference on Aug 8, 2007, discussed the use of indelible ink and was satisfied with the evidence submitted by its committee members and chemistry experts.

pulau ketam village head election 310711 indelible ink 02 "The committee has decided that the indelible ink does not contain impure substances that are prohibited according to Islamic law, nor it brings harm to the health and does not impede water to get onto the skin when used.

"Hence, the use of indelible ink is permissible according to Islamic law as it does not bring problems to Muslim ritual activities," the fatwa council decision states.

The fatwa came in reaction to an earlier attempt to adopt indelible ink for election use during the tenure of former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but which was aborted at the last minute.

Previously, the EC had said it was unable to implement indelible ink during elections as constitutional amendments were required.

However, attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail brushed aside this argument, saying that the EC only needed to make changes to the election rules.

The use of indelible ink is one of the recommendations in the interim report presented by the parliamentary select committee on electoral reform, which it says can be implemented immediately.

Indelible ink 'fatwa' merely a ruse