SAPP wants assurance on indelible ink

KOTA KINABALU: The president of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee wanted the assurance that indelible ink to be used in the next general election would not be easily wiped clean.

The Election Commission had initially planned to use indelible ink, purchased at a cost of RM2.4 million for the 2008 general elections but backed out at the last minute citing public order and security issues.

"The people are now wondering if the ink was used, there is a way to wipe it clean. So I suggest that quality ink must be of high standards and not cheap ones," Yong told the Parliamentary Select Committee for Electoral Reforms public hearing as SAPP supported the move to introduce indelible ink to stop cheating.

He stressed that it would defeat the whole purpose of using indelible ink if the government had an 'antidote' to wipe away the stain.

At this point, the chairman of the Select Committee Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili assured Yong that he and his panel members would personally check out, the quality of the ink and would give their views and report on it.

"We assure you (Yong) that we will use scientific technology to ensure that the ink is of good quality," said Ongkili.

Yong, who was the first to speak at the hearing here yesterday said, that the government must be 'sincere and honest' if it really wanted reforms to the electoral system and the efforts of the panel members would bear no real significance if no changes were to be made.

The secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party Datuk Teo Chee Kang told the panel that the best solution for Sabah was to register all voters in the state.

According to him, there was too much doubt in the electoral rolls with some 860,000 names. for Sabah's 25 parliamentary constituencies.

"So the best solution is to register the voters and make sure that those registering are not illegal immigrants with dubious Malaysian identities," he said.

Teo added that it was not difficult for the EC to carry out such an exercise as the number was not so big and the relevant government government agencies could assist the commission to check on the background of the voters.

SAPP and Sabah PKR also called for the scrapping of the then three-day and the currently 24-hour 'cooling off period' after nominations as it encouraged candidates buy-outs.

The Borneo Post