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Anwar slams move on indelible ink

SINGAPORE: Criticising the electoral process in Malaysia as “flawed,” Anwar Ibrahim, a leading Opposition campaigner, has raised alarm over the sudden decision of the Election Commission to drop its plan of using indelible ink. A snap general election, called by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the height of political unrest over the “marginalisation” of ethnic Indians, will be held on March 8.

Addressing the Foreign Correspondents’ Association Singapore, Mr. Anwar said: “Our suspicion in regard to the failure of the Election Commission to act independently is now proven to cancel the use of indelible ink on the very flimsy excuse of being a security problem or threat.”

Terming this excuse “shameful,” he contrasted this with the practices in other democracies. “India, with one billion people, can conduct free and fair elections with indelible ink. Nobody was hurt because of the ink or whatever.” He was referring to the reasoning of the Malaysian poll authorities that indelible ink, like any unsafeguarded chemical liquid now banned as hand-baggage on flights, could be a security risk at electoral offices and booths.

Dismissing the other argument that it was “not the Islamic way” to doubt the trustworthiness of the voters, Mr. Anwar pointed out that some other Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia and Turkey were using indelible ink. He said thousands of security personnel were registered for postal balloting and voting in their constituencies. “We have also uncovered evidence of padding up of the electoral rolls – names of deceased voters, voters from foreign countries. We find almost 11,000 voters aged 100 years and above. So, we have the largest number of old folks in the world!”

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