By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 15, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — The federal Opposition said today it will support amendments to the Constitution to allow the use of indelible ink in future elections.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told reporters today that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will back such a proposal if it is tabled in Parliament during the current session.
“The Attorney-General (AG) has said it cannot be done without amendments. This is just a trick to delay.
“But PR agrees to support the amendments if they are done immediately and tabled within this sitting,” the opposition leader said.
The Malaysian Insider reported last week that the parliamentary select committee on electoral reform summoned Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to explain why the government cannot use indelible ink — a key demand by polls reform movement Bersih — in a general election expected soon.
A source said the nine-man committee unanimously agreed that marking voters to avoid multiple voting could be implemented.
However, the source said the country’s top lawyer has insisted the Federal Constitution does not allow the authorities to force a voter to be marked with permanent ink.
Amendments to the Constitution require a two-thirds majority or 148 members out of the 222-member Parliament.
The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) currently has 137 MPs while PR has 76.
DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang also stressed that PR’s stand is that the use of indelible ink does not require a constitutional amendment “but if the AG insists, we are willing to give our support.”
The EC had initially planned to use indelible ink, bought at a cost of RM2.4 million, for the 2008 general election but backed out at the last minute, citing public order and security issues.
PKR de facto leader Anwar has claimed that the last-minute change cost his coalition 15 federal seats.
#1 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Tuesday, 15 November 2011 - 6:29 pm
AG, what utter rubbish!
Amend the constitution to use indelible ink!
Why, we would soon need to amend the constitution to read, write and learn ‘rithmetic too.
AG, utter, utter, utter rubbish.
Enough is enough. mAlaysians can’t suffer fools in high places anymore!
#2 by cintanegara on Tuesday, 15 November 2011 - 6:33 pm
Pakatan is famous for Cakap tak serupa bikin…NATO…. to form a new government on September 16???…nothing happens…. .it reminds me of the popular TV series in the 70s and 80s…Fantasy Island… Mr. Roarke and a mysterious island where people from all walks of life could come and live out their fantasies,..,,,maybe Pakatan can form the government there……
#3 by yhsiew on Tuesday, 15 November 2011 - 6:35 pm
I think it is more practical to have Bersih 3.0 rather than wait for approval to get this through and get that through. BN is just trying to take advantage of “dishonest votes” to stay in power.
#4 by monsterball on Tuesday, 15 November 2011 - 6:42 pm
Everything they did in the past in favor of UMNO b…..no need amendment.
Now using indelible ink….but need amendment…which means..everything they do are controlled by UMNO b.
Cannot stand People Power demands and afraid to be blamed for loose votes for UMNO b..agree to use the ink…waste time…delay decision and applying red tapes…hoping 13th GE announced before the amendment approved….all crooks happy…still doing as they planned.
Indelible ink will make frauds harder.
You can see…UMNO b is not interested to have a honest election at all….and EC is afraid to offend UMNO b…not a government
#5 by monsterball on Tuesday, 15 November 2011 - 6:51 pm
hi…cintanegara…keep telling old tales and hope Malaysians listen to your reasons.
If People Power want to tell old incidents…mixed with new ones…the list is so long…roll the paper into a ball..stuff into your mouth…may choke you to death.
Put out tell children story to emphasize
his point.
Now fantasy world story.
How about some pirates and thieve stories??
#6 by monsterball on Tuesday, 15 November 2011 - 6:55 pm
You know …like Captain Jack Sparrow or
Aladdin and the 40 thieves.
That he dare not….when both thieves are heroes….too dangerous…may backfired.
#7 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Tuesday, 15 November 2011 - 10:49 pm
Cintanegara?
Is that some kind of a leech in sheep’s clothing?
Come, come, there must surely be some limit to plain idiocy.
#8 by Jong on Wednesday, 16 November 2011 - 1:41 am
The story I heard was in 2008 just before Polling Day they discovered more than half of those indelible ink bought at cost of RM2.4million were hardened and dried up. Corruption again!
What has happened to those bottles of ink now?
#9 by k1980 on Wednesday, 16 November 2011 - 12:51 pm
Aha, now I understand why RM10 million was spent to buy that condo. Those 8,000 cows have been given ICs and registered to vote in the coming GE. The cows addresses are registered as staying in that condo but no opposition members will be able to verify their identity because the guards there would not allow them entry. Jiak lat lah, Nurul Izzah is going to lose to that Sharimamak by more than 8,000 votes in the 13GE
#10 by ktteokt on Thursday, 17 November 2011 - 11:40 pm
I wonder if they amended the constitution when they decided to CASTRATE the RUKUNEGARA which is printed at the back of school exercise books which only contain the five principles without the preambles!