VIDEO | 3.12 min

The Election Commision (EC) has defended its use of indelible ink saying the traces of the mark would remain and could be seen under a magnifying glass.

NONE EC secretary Kamaruddin Baria was reported in The Star as describing the reported incidents two days ago as isolated, insisting that it could not be washed altogether.

Kamaruddin ( left ) also acknowledged that some of the EC officers may have been nervous at the time and failed to follow proper instructions to prepare and apply the ink.

"This is the first time that we are using indelible ink, so maybe the officers were nervous... but even if most of it washes off, there will still be traces of it and our officers will be provided with magnifying glasses to check for the ink," said Kamaruddin.

The New Straits Times reported that soap, thinner, spirit, Acriflavine lotion, vinegar and even iodine had been used in the demonstration.

Meanwhile in a Bernama report, Kamaruddin was quoted saying the ink bottle needs to be shaken for about 30 seconds before use.

"If the guidelines on the bottle are adhered to, the ink smudge would not have disappeared even if vinegar, detergent or oil, among others, were used to remove it," he told a press conference.

Kamaruddin also reportedly showed the list of guidelines which its officers are required to follow, including shaking the bottle for 30 seconds every two hours, before opening the cap.

He said it was probable that those who had taken images of the disappearing ink have ill intentions towards the EC.

Kamaruddin also revealed that on Tuesday, some 83.3 percent or 200,979 voters came out to cast their vote. There are a total 272,387 postal voters registered nationwide.

Army man: It wasn't me

The national news agency also reports that a member of the armed forces linked to a Pakatan Rakyat allegation that the indelible ink smeared on his finger had disappeared after early voting yesterday, denied today that he was the person referred to.

NONE Major Azmee Buang, 41, of the Army Communications and Electronics Unit at the Sungai Besi Premier Camp, said the ink smeared on his finger was still there.

However, he did not deny that the picture of a man in a red car showing the finger smeared with indelible ink - which was downloaded on Facebook - was him.

He was speaking to reporters at Mindef in Kuala Lumpur with several armed forces personnel to clarify that the ink was lasting.

Azmee said the picture was taken when he stopped at Taman Koperasi Polis yesterday afternoon after voting at the Sungai Besi Premier Camp.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, who was there, had asked him to show her the finger which was smeared with indelible ink.