Election Commission secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor said the commission was fully satisfied with the police's explanation on the four cases of attempted cheating involving the smuggling of indelible ink into the country.

The decision not to use indelible ink on March 8 polls, therefore, is final.

"We have discussed with the Inspector-General of Police and we are fully satisfied with his advice,” he told a media briefing here today.

When pressed for details, Kamaruzaman said the commission were not aware of the contents of the four police reports.

"It is under the police's purview. So, go and ask the police,” he said.
Earlier in the briefing, Kamaruzaman explained in great length the election process. It was unfortunate that the EC had "overlooked" certain sections of the law which resulted the plan to use the indelible ink, he said.

"At 2.30pm, I was directed to issue a Press statement. It is so unlucky that this came about in the last few days before polling day, but, please, don't blame the EC."

He said the EC would use the ink (costing RM2.4 million) in a barter trade.

On Tuesday, IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan revealed that four people had lodged reports, two in Perlis, and one each in Kelantan and Kedah - claiming that certain individuals had purchased the ink from neighbouring countries to be used on polling day. Police recorded statements from the four individuals, aged between 33 and 40, who were said to have bought the ink. All of them were businessman.

The cases had been classified as attempted cheating. The reports were lodged between Feb 16 and Feb 21.

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman had said besides the breach in security, the EC also decided not to use the ink because legal implications that include the Election Offences Act 1954, which had to be amended before the ink could be used to prevent challenges.

source: The New Straits Times