Who is going to be responsible for the RM 2.4m INDELIBLE INK?
I am shocked with this reply that I received this morning. The online news, Malaysiakini has reported it. Below is the full text I received.
I am going to pursue this matter. The nation was like taken for a “merry go round”.
About a month before the Parliament is dissolved, the SPR of Perak State gave some of us a briefing regarding the new rules, including the usage of the indelible ink. I shared the information with my voters. Then, came the news about the decision not to use the said ink in the election. The said decision was made a few days before polling day on the ground of , “for the national security and peace.”
Now, I want to know, who is going to be responsible for the said decision? Who has not perform the duties in carrying out a proper investigation and led to what I would call it, an “ill advice” to the Election Commission and further, convinced the PM to accept the said decision on the ground of national security, which now turned out to be a mere “khabar angin”
More, causing the wastage of RM2.4 million, the cost of the purchase of the ink. Then, what has happened to the ink? It is our money. We demand accountability and full details.
Fong Po Kuan ( Batu Gajah) minta Menteri Keselamatan Dalam Negeri menyatakan dengan mendalam hasil siasatan ekoran daripada pembatalan penggunaan tanda dakwat pada kuku semasa pilihan raya umum ke 12 yang lalu. Nyatakan pihak-pihak yang disyaki terlibat dan tindakan terhadap merek ayang dikatakan akan menimbulkan masalah keselamatan dan ketentaraman awam.
Jawapan
Tuan Yang Dipertua,
Izinkan saya menjawab soalan ini bersama-sama dengan soalan dari Ahli Yang berhormat Marang bertarikh 7 Mei 2008 kerana ia mengenai perkara yang sama. Saya mengucapkan berbanyak terima kasih kepada Ahli-ahli Yang berhormat dari Batu Gajah dan Marang yang telah mengemukakan soalan.
Untuk makluman Ahli-ahli Yang berhormat, tiga kertas siastan telah dibuka di bawah Seksyen 420/511, Kanun Keseksaan oleh pihak Jabatan Siastan Jenayah Komersial, Polis Diraja Malaysia. Laporan polis dibuat oleh beberapa individu yang bimbang dengan penggunaan dakwat tersebut kerana mendakwa dakwat berkenaan kononnya boleh diperolehi secara mudah di negara Thailand. Mereka bimbang ada pihak-pihak yang kepentingan akan menyalahgunakan dakwat tersebut di dalam pilihanraya umum ke-12 yang lalu.
Tuan Yang Dipertua,
Setelah laporan tersebut diteliti dan pihak polis telah menemu bual pengadu serta saksi-saksi, didapati tiada sebarang bukti menunjukkan dakwat tersebut dibawa dari negara Thailand. Ini kerana tidak ada seorang saksi pun yang pernah melihat dakwat tersebut. Daripada keterangan saksi, tiada sebarang individu, sindiket atau pihak-pihak tertentu yang dikenal pasti terlibat dengan kegiatan ini. Keterangan pengadu dan saksi adalah merupakan khabar angin dan tiada sebarang individu yang dicam atau dikenali secara positif.
Tuan Yang Dipertua,
Kertas siasatan tersebut telah dirujuk ke kamar Timbalan Pendakwa Raya pada 14 Mac 2008 dan pada 21 Mac 2008, kes ini diklasifikasikan sebagai no further action (NFA)/ kertas untuk simpanan (KUS).
I love this last paragraph:
Kertas siasatan tersebut telah dirujuk ke kamar Timbalan Pendakwa Raya pada 14 Mac 2008 dan pada 21 Mac 2008, kes ini diklasifikasikan sebagai no further action (NFA)/ kertas untuk simpanan (KUS).
YB Fong, keep pressing on this issue. My guess is that, they may not even have ordered the ink but where has the money gone too. (This is a guess, since the gomen is not giving a true straight answer about this fiasco)
Comment by Ricky — May 6, 2008 @ 3:43 pm
I don’t like using foul languages ever before but go “xxx (deleted) yourselves EC and BN”. I think the general public has had it with the wastage and insensitivities. YB - just tell them to suck eggs. I think they know how to suck eggs better than Koh Tsu Koon telling Guan Eng to do that
Comment by Jeffrey Chew — May 6, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
Thought there were police reports lodged before the GE on the alleged purchase of the ink. Can you please ask them to reveal who lodged the reports. The EC Chairman was dead sure of the so-called sabotage. Ask him to clarify now!
Comment by Ching — May 6, 2008 @ 4:43 pm
the police and attorney-general can caused the indelible ink to be exempted just by hearsay? what sort of investigation or hard evidence they had in hand at that point of time to deem it a threat to national security?
this is really going too far. what sort of perception that they were trying to show to the general public at large about this two government institution which was supposed to be unbias.
Comment by johnny ong — May 6, 2008 @ 4:48 pm
Now that we know the some kind of ‘funny’ spin surrounds the cancellation of the usage of ink for the GE let’s have some more answers.
It is now time for the EC Chief to answer truthfully whether the 48,000 bottles of Indian Ink costing $2.4 million was ever ordered from India and received in M’sia before the GE.
If his answer is yes, then I demand a certificate of confirmation from the Auditor General also as to when the ink was received and where it is now physically stored.
If the answer is NO, the EC Chief should be charged in court with lying to the Government & the public and gross dereliction of fiduciary duty to the Government and public.
Comment by donplaypuks — May 6, 2008 @ 4:49 pm
All Malaysia should never trust BN ever again, they are a bunch of JOKERS who treats their Rakyat like fools.
Many cases already told that they are Real Blood Suckers!
Let the next E13, 100% defeat them and give them no chance forever……..
They still do not want to insaf and keep on playing with our money in their silly games.
Another congratulations to them for not being progressive at all. They will only insaf when the time they see their own graves. Sorry to the phatetics
Comment by lovemalaysiaforever — May 6, 2008 @ 4:54 pm
I weep for the poor homeless people irregardless of whatever race. The 2.4mil could have done so much for them. The few points below must be addresses:
1. If 2.4million has been spent I believe the stock must be lying somewhere in some warehouse. Pls someone go and check if the goods even existed in the first place.
2. Is the 2.4 the real figure? Pls check. Hope it is not inflated like the carjack, screw and stationary.
3. I understand that few people were caught in regard to the smuggled ink. Where are they? Prosecute them unless of course they are phantom criminal a relative of phantom voters?
4. Someone must be made accountable for this inefficiency.
Lastly, isnt it obvious this cancellation of ink. Nevertheless we denied them 2/3. Wait till next election, they wont be so lucky.
Comment by graceK — May 6, 2008 @ 5:10 pm
Now, who are the persons making the police report? The question was not answered.
Are they making a false report?
Comment by peisheah — May 6, 2008 @ 5:23 pm
dear YB,
Please keep pursuing this matter.
1) Who are the persons making the report? And are they going to be held responsible for making reports based on rumours. We have Sedition Act 1948 for people as such. Or perhaps false reporting ?
2) Is the ink to be use in future? who is going to bear the responsibility of the 2.4mil ringgit?
Thanks!
Comment by tomatoinc — May 6, 2008 @ 6:09 pm
Friends,
Its so easy for the minister/goverment to say “No further action” and the money has gone to someone or some group. Why didn’t our ministry or our “secret agent” check whether this ink is 100% security proof, like not easily obtain from any country before making a purchase? With such stupid reply, they hope to drag on and drag on until its forgotten or “lesap”.
I am wondering whether we did purchased and recieved the ink? Where is it kept? Who and which comapny supply this ink to EC? Who and which company makes the arrangement of purchase? Can’t the government resale or open tender for the ink and hopefully to recover the cost?
But whatever it is we would like a full investigation into this and prosecute those involved. If no action is taken against these people, I believe there are even more individual daring to cheat our “MALAYSIAN” money.
So, YB please keep this issue in your piority list and follow up.
Best regards.
Comment by Leong WK — May 6, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
Yesm Madam Chili Padi,
We should not allow this issue to rest until they are forced to give an answer or ACA investigate..
they have suck up the money for sure, my tax money..
madam cili padi, I pay 4 months of my yearly salary to tax, leaving not much for me to enjoy, dont tell me they have stolen all that for the so called ink..
no way… this issue must be pursued… further
Comment by Sabahfan — May 6, 2008 @ 8:52 pm
What a childish act, opening the store doors to allow someone to cart away some ink for testing and then claiming some people will misuse the ink.
Where’s the government auditors?
The ink may have finished by now as SPR chief used to bathe in it, so no one can recognise him.
Master of Disguise brought in at the last minute through a timely amendment of the Constitution!!!!!
Voters saw through the clown’s clothes and decided wisely.
Comment by Discrimination69 — May 6, 2008 @ 10:53 pm
YB,
Please. For the sake of the whole Rakyat, press on with this issue in Parliment. We don’t want another lie.
Comment by D_Dollah — May 7, 2008 @ 12:11 am
YB,I feel there is a concerted effort to lie us.First the SC idiot says someone try to cheat,the police says 4 suspects were detain and the AG goes along.Now everything is crystal clear that they is lying .I think all this conpriracy is to cheat the opposition of a fair election.
Please get all the pakatan MPs to get to the bottom of this issue.
Comment by stk — May 7, 2008 @ 8:06 am
Dear YP Fong,
Atatched is a link to an article which I fond it extremely wasteful of Rakyat’s money. ACA of Malaysia spending a trip to learn form one of the most corrupt country in the world on how to fight corruption. Hope you can bring it up in parliment. http://old.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20080507.H06&irec=5
Comment by Uncle Leow — May 7, 2008 @ 1:21 pm
YB u must pursue…
U must go and inspect the goods whether it is even exist at all? not just show receipts. receipts I think they could forge. Arent they capable? If they lied, prosecute them.
I have a vision for this country. My wawasan 2020. To eliminate all corrupt people and consficate all their wealth leaving them as pauper then they will know how it is to be poor. ALL MONEY WILL GO TOWARDS NATION BUIDLING. I can just imangine it will run into billions when all wealth combined.
Comment by graceK — May 7, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
What about the ppl who made the report about the ink being brought in from Thailand? How come no action is taken against them for making false police report?
Comment by wp — May 7, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
Dear YB,
Why don’t we go to the Malaysia Royal Custom Department to check the details.
Comment by youngmalaysia — May 8, 2008 @ 9:30 am
RM 2.4m is approximate to 2.4m kilos of rice. PAC (Public Acounts Committee) should at least, do an accountability studies regarding the status of the ink i.e the total cost involves in bringing the ink and the future use of it…of course such puchase of the ink must exist in the first place. Well, I won’t be surprise if in the later stage there are news of the ink being destroyed or something. Our Malaysian govt is very good in coming up with excuses.
Comment by wendie — May 8, 2008 @ 2:47 pm
YB, by next week, you and all the Pakatan Rakyat MPs must insist a written answer from PM. Not only it has caused us RM2.4 Million, but a chance for Pakatan Rakyat to control the parliment after 50 years of intimidation, unscruplous, corruptions, racial discriminatory, mismanagements etc..
All the Pakatan Rakyat MPs must not allow this issue conveniently swept under the carpet by the BN government! We’ll be watching you closely when you bring this issue up again.
Comment by D_Dollah — May 10, 2008 @ 12:12 am
Poh Kuan,
I think that it won’t be long before PR will be having the reigns of the government in its hands.
When that happens, put all those in the BN with dirty hands on trial and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.
Comment by Damocles — May 11, 2008 @ 5:51 pm