Penang Watch

As speculated : EC was only doing what Cabinet decided in the scrapping of the indelible ink! AS speculated: EC is not independent and cannot run the election on its own-though it is the only body entrusted by Constitution to run legislative elections. As speculated: there will not be a transparent account of how the indelible ink was scrapped and RM2.4mil thrashed. As speculated : the police's story that there are people who smuggled in the indelible ink was a concoction. So the speculations have been vindicated. Keep speculating intelligently, Malaysians! Good chance you get it right!

EC chief: Cabinet disapproved of indelible ink
May 17, 08 12:48pm  www.malaysiakini.com
Election Commission chairperson Rashid Abdul Rahman said the cabinet did not approve the use of indelible ink during the March 8 general election.
MCPX

“I was told that I was to take the responsibility for agreeing to it. It's not easy being EC chairperson. I took the whole rap over the year,” Rashid told reporters after a function today.

Rashid’s comments further fueled speculations that the decision to scrap the use of indelible ink was a executive decision in light of whimsy excuses for the last minute U-turn in using the ink.

Last year, the EC had agreed to use the ink in the 12th General Election to put to rest claims of multiple voting. The plan was cancelled five days before the March 8 polling day.

A princely sum of RM2.4 million for about 48,000 bottles of the ink was bought from India, but Rashid had to call off the move on claims, that were never substantiated, that elements of sabotage had been detected by the police.