Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor today questioned the need for indelible ink to be used in Malaysia, arguing that it was something only being used in third world countries.

The Putrajaya MP was responding to revelations in Dewan Rakyat yesterday that the indelible ink used in the 13th General Election was made up of permitted food colouring and not chemicals.

“Actually we don’t need indelible ink, why do we need indelible ink? We are not a third world country, you know. We have IC, we have identification. Indelible ink is used in country where there is no identifications,” he told reporters in the Parliament lobby.

Tengku Adnan praised the Election Commission for being concerned about the health of the people, saying: “Because SPR is concerned and instead of putting chemicals that would hurt the people, we are a responsible government, and we care for the people.”

“We do something which is good for the people, we don’t simply put chemicals. We know in India the ink will be there one or two months that’s very bad for health,” he said.

He said that the government has acceded to the demands of the Opposition but now indicated that it may not be the best method.

“You asked for it, the opposition asked for it, so we follow, but does it work?” added Tengku Adnan. He cited an example of opposition supporters who ask the public to use the indelible ink to cross the ballot paper.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim yesterday said in parliamentary reply: “No chemical was used in the ink but it was instead replaced with permitted food colouring."

The EC had previously blamed the ink’s quick removal on the low level of silver nitrate used.

Shahidan said yesterday that 216,600 bottles of indelible ink were used in the 13th general election at a cost of RM6.9 million. However, the transport costs, packaging and storage of the ink led to the cost to balloon to RM7.1 million.