YOURSAY ‘Unbelieveable! Incredible! Not indelible! Edible! Indictable? Irresponsible, undependable EC?'

No chemicals, only food colouring in EC's ink

Cala: Malaysia has been reduced to the level of an African state. Another fiasco, another miss-step and another scandal - the indelible ink.

I am not sure whether I should laugh or to cry at Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim's statement admitting that the indelible ink used in the recent general election was sub-standard. The content of the ink was not what the Election Commission heads had wanted us to believe.

What is the conclusion arising from this episode? That Malaysian bureaucrats are little different from the mentality of its poor African counterpart, where the latter is characterised by weak institutions, inefficient civil service, and incapable of deliver development results.

Quigonbond: Shahidan's reply begs more questions. Is he confirming that despite it being food colouring, the EC tested it and it worked the way it is supposed to, i.e. the food colouring is expected to last for two days? Then why was it so easy to wash off?

Why did EC chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof blow hot and cold over its silver nitrate content? This answer is calculated to jive with EC's latest accusation that they had been sabotaged.

On top of that, Shahidan seemed to imply that there was only a problem because people deliberately try to wash the ink off. I'm simply aghast - did he expect that deliberately organised repeat voters will leave the ink on their fingers?

Even the procurement exercise smells like a typical Umno deal, where even the bottles have to be specially designed. Why the need to specially design the bottles? Do Malaysians have ET (extra-terrestrial) fingers?

Malaysians, it is obvious by now that we've been had. It would be natural to feel very angry right about now.

Malaysian Born: The indelible ink debacle is a clear case of incompetence of the highest order. The officers of the EC involved should be held accountable, I am not sure about criminal intent but they are accountable for all the money wasted in this case.

Beyond that, they are accountable to the people of Malaysia for their total incompetence in this matter.

Lone_star: Unbelieveable! Incredible! Not indelible! Edible! Indictable? Irresponsible, undependable EC?

FairGame: Seriously? Edible food colouring? Seriously, there is a very strong element of corruption involved, especially with the EC.

No wonder they are steadfast in not resigning, possibly due to time needed to cover their tracks, or they have not receive their 'paybacks' yet.

Anonymous #79199503: Wow, the food colouring cost almost RM7 million. It is more than finger lickin' good, the rakyat are once again properly screwed.

FellowMalaysian: It just can't be through sheer coincidence that like-minded people gyrate towards one another.

With the likes of Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof and Wan Ahmad Wan Omar heading the EC, we would have thought that the EC has one too many obsequious pea-heads helming the commission.

Now another equally whimsical character called Shahidan Kassim has joined the fray. Having Shahidan as its minister makes EC the butt of farcical jokes.

Yap Cs: So the 'indelible' ink is concocted by a crony out of food colouring so that some can voted multiple times using instant identity cards (ICs); plus the crony gets a multi-million payout for this ink. Indeed, corruption and cheating now has reached new heights.

BlueG: RM6.9 million was not a big amount. However, the dirty election was a huge cost to the nation and our people.

Abasir: So who in the EC stole the silver from the silver nitrate?

KnockKnock: Shahidan, I wonder why must your gang pick you to deliver the reply, or that your job as a minister is only to read and you do not need to even know the contents? Pity you.

This joke of the day will be 'indelible' for a long, long time.

AB Sulaiman: Or, maybe, someone had confused 'indelible' with 'edible' when giving the ink's specifications to the supplier. Just a thought.

Peacemaker: Now that it's confirmed the EC chief is a liar, what more is he waiting for? Is he without shame, pride or dignity or does he subscribe to the BN ethos that unless kicked out, he has done nothing wrong.

Lying to 10 million voters is quite a feat considering there are quite a few bright fellows among us. Food dye huh? No wonder he dared not send it for testing to the Health Ministry.

Geronimo: Indeed, why don't the top two EC clowns resign and save themselves from further embarrassment.

GE13 is over, why is the identity of the ink supplier still top secret?

Why is identity of ink supplier still top secret?

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