Parliament: Nazri on Indelible Ink
I tried but failed. None wants to take responsibility for cancelling the decision to use the indelible ink, four days before the recent general election.
This evening, a few opposition MPs tried hard to find out more about this issue when Datuk Seri Nazri was replying on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Department but we were more confused after hearing Datuk Seri Nazri replies. In fact, I found more inconsistencies.
Nazri blamed it on Election Commission (EC). Also, Nazri kept repeating the “concern” of the Cabinet and stressed that the Cabinet wanted to ensure that none would be denied the right to vote under Art. 119 of the Federal Constitution. He did not deliberate much on the police reports lodged related to “smuggling of ink.” (I will put up the complete details when the Hansard is ready.)
Something is fishy. I felt Nazri was like ” go find out from EC la!” . Isn’t this EC under the PM’s Department and all this while Nazri has no problem in answering question raised related to EC?
I did try to find out the whereabout of the indelible ink which cost our money RM 2.4 million. Although I did raise it during my debate, he did not reply and insisted that I ask next time. He did not finish replying , perhaps because of time factor and requested that the remaining reply be forwarded to the respective MPs in writing.
This is just not right!. The Parliament sat till midnight yesterday. I was there to “guard” this Department. Further this is the most important Department and most of us expected interesting questioning and answering on important issues ie corruption, Election Commission, Lingam Tape and etc.
We should not let this issue just die off here. We need to pursue this matter.
Pak Lah, be accountable and transparent. Pak Lah, you need to come to Parliament and tell us the truth about this matter.
for all we know, the ink was never ordered in the 1st place, and the RM 2.4 million is now in someone else pocket. So where is the receipt? Which Indian company is it? Or is it through another UMNO middleman? Or maybe, the ink was just normal ink?
Comment by max — May 23, 2008 @ 9:46 am
The ink issue already sounds fishy. How about other ways of the BN cheating in the election?
Comment by peisheah — May 23, 2008 @ 9:53 am
The truth is unlikely to be told, we can only infer it from distilling comments made by Federal Ministers, EC Chairman, AG, Police and the like. It’s a pass the buck game. In the end, obfuscation will prevail, lies and avoidance win again and the matter will die away. Just another buried issue in Bolehland. Just how far are you prepared to pursue it, YB?
Comment by clearwater — May 23, 2008 @ 10:01 am
BN govt be accountable? Surely this is just a wild wishful thought. Just not going to happen.
Nothing is new under the sky.
Comment by oceanuz — May 23, 2008 @ 10:10 am
Nothing is new under the sky.
Accountability is just wild wishful thought. You will never get it from BN govt.
Comment by oceanuz — May 23, 2008 @ 10:11 am
Another RM2.4 mil gone down the throat of certain people but hey, Poh Kuan was right. Where’s the ink? The least we can do is ask Nazri and Dolah to drink them. 48,000 bottles at a bottle a day for 2 fellas will only take them 65 years to finish the ink. Compare with hell, drinking one bottle of indelible ink a day for 65 years is peanuts.
Comment by dolah dolah dolah — May 23, 2008 @ 11:01 am
A police report has been made against the PM and the Election Commission Chairman.The AG and also the Police have cooperated with them in the Indelible Ink fiasco.The truth is unlikely to be found!Anyway, thank you YB Fong for trying your best!
Comment by sklee — May 23, 2008 @ 11:28 am
Our PM, Pak Lah, will go down the history book as the WORST PM ever…Step up or forever bear that name!
Comment by Shawn — May 23, 2008 @ 11:57 am
Thank you for request Dato Nazri to answer the issue about the ink. I think that Dato Nazri’s answer is not a responsible answer from him as a minister and MP.It is also showed that UMNO MPs still exercise “arrogance of power”.Good Luck.
Comment by MK — May 23, 2008 @ 12:03 pm
malaysia law is too fragile and corrupted. This has make the malaysia politician dare to act against the will of the malaysia people… Only if there are charges against those misaction staff, i think only they will start to use brain to work, not by mouth…
Comment by eye_on_malaysia — May 23, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
The indelible ink fiasco will leave its mark on this indelible putrid, pernicious,nefarious,anathema and Machiavellian type and corrupt infested BN government. There are no better words to describe them.
Comment by pwcheng — May 23, 2008 @ 1:12 pm
Looks like the blame game has just started. The curtain has been raised, the show will start with the price of 2.4mil and there goes our tax money again down the loo!!!
Comment by Mathewe — May 23, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
The curtain raised, the blame game begin. Ticket paid with the price of 2.4mil and there it goes our tax money down the loo again.
Comment by Mathewe — May 23, 2008 @ 2:30 pm
I blogged this whole India Ink matter on 11th March 2008 at http://donplaypucks.blogspot.com under ‘True & Fair Elections?’
It is utter rubbish, nonsense and bullshit that a Constitutional Amendmend would be necessary to implement the usage of India Ink for the GE.
The EC specifies that we produce our IC and use the specific pens they provide for us to cast our votes. Did these require Constitutional Amendmend? Can a voter claim his voting rights were infringed and sue the Govt if he did not agree to producing his IC at the polling station? These are mere administrative and procedural matters. Likewise the India Ink.
This whole series of events looks very, vey suspicious and leads one to think that the 48,000 bottles of India Ink costing costing RM2.4 million were never ordered in the first place, and therefore never arrived on M’sian shores, and that this may be a huge attempt to cover up a fraud on the electorate.
So, YB, keep hammering away in Parliament until the truth emerges. We, the people, demand you of it!!
Thank you.
(Hi, I read your posting on this issue and tried to ask some of the said questions to get some answers but failed.:(
Comment by donplaypuks — May 23, 2008 @ 3:53 pm
Have the following questions been asked and answered??
What is the name of the supplier of the ink?
What date was the order placed?
What date was the ink delivered?
Where is the ink kept?
What date was the supplier paid?
Pax.
Comment by Hitam Had — May 23, 2008 @ 4:03 pm
just ask a simple question to the no use pm… where is all the ink.. 2.4 millions can feed how many poor families out there… don’t stop till we find out where is all those ink..
Comment by san zuan — May 24, 2008 @ 12:31 am
YB, many people have said that it’s better to let go because the odds are stacked so high against you and your team mates. I say otherwise. Please do not lose hope and do not give up your fight for transparency and justice. An elephant is eaten one bite at a time, and a mountain is moved one rock at a time. Keep at it. Some people have said it’s a small sum ‘cause it’s only RM2.4 million. but YB, it still must be accounted for. That’s how all the big corruption begins, with small sums here and there. In the end, the sum of all the “smalls” can be bigger than all the “bigs” put together. Please YB, don’t give up. Many people support you in this. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Bring in capable people to help you keep track of your progress and to haul up every last one of those scoundrels before the rakyat to answer for their misdeeds.
Comment by seeking accountability — May 24, 2008 @ 12:58 am
pl keep up the good work. PERSIST, INSIST until a satsifactory reply is recd. do not allow this issue to be swept under the carpet as usual. we must stop the rot. we must find out the TRUTH. We must have accountability of where all the tax payers monies went to!!!!
Comment by km chou — May 24, 2008 @ 9:00 am
You’re doing what you were elected to do, Po Kuan. Representing the voters in Parliament. And you do a really fine job, I’m proud of you! Keep up the good work, YB Fong!
Comment by Antares — May 24, 2008 @ 4:50 pm
Stir the Parliament by asking PAS instead under Islam How does Islam Treat a Person who have done the indelible ink Scandal and what measure can be used to discourage this practice…..wedge politics…learn them quick and learn them fast……It times to set the principle of Freedom of Religion, freedom from Racism and Freedom of Press…
UMNO-BN likes playing games play along with them….
Comment by bumi non malay — May 24, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
YB Fong…
Great job…Continue to pursue and dont let go until where these ink all goes..
Comment by SL Chan — May 24, 2008 @ 7:22 pm
Dear YB,
“In fact, I found more inconsistencies.”
The BN gomen has been consistent because:
1) they are consistently inconsistent between their words and their actions
2) they are consistently inconsistent for words spoken by different officials who are supposed to be on the same wave
length
3) they have consistently wasted my hard earned salary and sadly relinquished in the form of various taxes
4) they have been consistently defending the indefensible and consistently putting out counter-arguments that sounds stupid to all and sundry except themselves
All this proof one thing - COVER UP!
The only way to get to some of the real reasons is to take over the government by legal means and get to the files before they are being Enroned.
Comment by lee wee tak — May 24, 2008 @ 10:21 pm
“Pak Lah, be accountable and transparent. Pak Lah, you need to come to Parliament and tell us the truth about this matter.”
- since when he spoke decisively and openly against any issue?
he is “elegantly” silent on
1) Lingam case
2) PFTZ
3) Crime wave and those hideous crime cases
4) escalating oil prices
5) protest against toll rate increases
6) illegal imigrants in Sabah
need I go on?
Today’s Star quoted him as saying,”change lifestyle…”
Frankly, he is repeating what Najib said some time ago and this is effectively telling the rakyat to live on your own devices, the government ain’t doing a damn thing for you.
Jeff Ooi spoke about trading our rices for ubi or something.
What lifestyle is he talking about? Not everyone goes to starbuck everyday but everyday we have to buy basic goods and since he live on OUR money, he won’t know what’s going on in the wet market. I expect him to resume his traveling activities again just like during his previous mandate. I remember reading about him flying everywhere and saying a few nice words that does not reflect what is really going on in Malaysia. Compared to Lim Guan Eng who sit in economy class ….change life style? BN VVIP lead the way-lah.
Comment by lee wee tak — May 24, 2008 @ 10:30 pm
I like ’seeking accountability’ and his/her simple but sincere and powerful words.
YB, please keep plugging away on this issue in Parliament. Get as many other MP’s as you can to hammer away; that’s how a shrub root can cleave apart a mighty rock.
We, the People, are behind you!! Don’t let the corrupt get away with murder. Remember that the EC Chief is now earning an extra 1 year’s remuneration for lying to us!
Comment by donplaypuks — May 25, 2008 @ 12:04 am
Dearest YB Fong, please continue with your good work on this issue. I believe all Malaysian who have voted against ARROGANT BN Reps are proud of you (and also the other PR reps). Keep smiling and best wishes.
Comment by JimmySeremban — May 25, 2008 @ 9:12 am
August 14, 2007 - The black ink from India, which would cost less than one million ringgit, would be applied on a voter’s left forefinger, the paper said.
deccanherald.com/Content/Aug142007/foreign2007081419086.asp?section=scrollingnews
February 23rd, 2008 - The indelible ink, costing over RM 2million, will make its first appearance in a general election here.
topnews.in/malaysian-poll-body-requisitions-47-000-bottles-indian-indelible-ink-221864
Between August `07 and Feb `08 someone has made the difference of more than RM1 million.
The reason for the conflicting statements is `cos the thieves are fighting over the spoils.
Comment by hutchrun — May 25, 2008 @ 9:24 am
u might think that u have failed to take someone accountable for the things that happens but at least look at the positive side….
1- oppositions won eventhough that they che*ts
2- at least we, as a normal citizens knew the stupidity of them, the irresponsibility for now owing up their mistakes, disgrace to the malaysians or men of honours for giving such a stupid excuse
do not worry, we as citizens knew wat happening behind and if they still think tat we are dumb enough to listen to one side of the story, they are wrong, dead wrong. at least on the GE we showed to them tat we are not dumb….keep on the good work, in 4-5 yrs again, they will know tat we are not stupid n we are listening.
Comment by maverick — May 28, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
YB Fong,
Don’t listen to this donkey Nazri excuses! This guy is useless. Keep harping on the issue until BN government admitted that there is no indelible ink as claimed.
Comment by D_Dollah — June 9, 2008 @ 12:13 am