The Election Commission (EC) has approved the use of nearly RM1 million worth of indelible ink in the coming general election, after a five-week deliberation by the Fatwa Council on whether the procedure was un-Islamic.

EC chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman announced that the ink, made in India, would come off after a few days and does not contravene Islamic law. The ink is to prevent multiple voting.

According to Bernama , the procedure, estimated to cost less than RM1 million when implemented in the coming election, would also counter allegations of phantom voters.

"Although the use of indelible ink may not be foolproof in curbing cheating if there were any or if at all there were cases of those appearing for the dead, it could thwart allegations made by certain quarters on the existence of phantom voters or trying to tarnish EC's image," he said.

However, he added that the procedure would not be used for postal voting as it already has safeguards.

Last Wednesday, the National Fatwa Council approved the decision after the Chemistry Department and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) concluded their findings that the ink was free of unclean elements which could render ablutions void.

Appease several political parties

Abdul Rashid said the use of the ink would appease several political parties which had requested EC, after the 2004 general election, to introduce certain procedures to prevent rigging.

"In an election, cheating could be done in three ways namely by using the identity cards of dead electors, using other voters' identity cards or casting the votes twice (by using the same identity cards at two different places)," he said.

On the procedure of using the ink, Abdul Rashid said an officer would apply the ink on the fingernail or forefinger of the voters' left hand after their identity were confirmed by another officer.

He said the third clerk would then give a punched ballot paper to the voters.

The commission will begin training election officers on inking procedures immediately, he added.

Meanwhile, Abdul Rashid said the inking procedure will be modified for the disabled: "To amputees, a stamp mark using the indelible ink would be made on the stump after they had completed voting."

Voters are also not encouraged to use nail polish.