Wednesday July 11, 2007
THE decision on the use of indelible ink in the general election now lies with the National Fatwa Council, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said.

The council, he said, was studying whether it was possible to use the ink as it could be sensitive to the Muslims.
He said Muslims could not perform their prayers if the ink could not be washed off for a few days after voting.
“For Muslims, when they pray, they have to wash their face, hands and feet and the water (air wuduk) must touch their skin.
“With indelible ink, the water will not be able to touch the skin and Muslims will not be able to perform their prayers,” said Nazri while winding up the debate on the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2007.
Teresa Kok (DAP – Seputeh) had asked why the Government had not made a decision to implemen the use of indelible ink in the next general elections.

The Star had quoted Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman in June as saying that the system would be implemented at the next general election.
The move to introduce the use of indelible ink was to guard against multiple or phantom voting.
Nazri also said the Government spent RM30mil and not RM200mil as claimed by the opposition, to woo the public to register as voters and the expenses covered all the administrative work of the EC.
The Bill was later passed.
On another matter, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said his ministry had until last month received an RM340mil allocation for maintenance work.
The money was for various buildings including shared federal buildings, army camps, the Putrajaya office complex, government quarters and the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, he said this in a written reply to Kok.