A satirical look into the wonderful job done by the Election Commission in conducting the recent general election.
COMMENT
As a law abiding citizen, I am truly concerned about Pakatan Rakyat’s bully antics against the Electoral Commission. The time has come for Malaysians to accept the inevitable but ultimate truth.
Barisan Nasional is the current government despite all the hue and cry by Pakatan Rakyat. Pakatan should stop lynching the EC in public and blaming the Commission for its misfortunes.
Seriously, the EC has the most unenviable job in this country. Constantly under pressure from sore losers who has never won an election in the last 50 years, it has continued to operate meekly, quietly and without a word of complaint.
Luckily, Barisan Nasional had the courtesy not to blame or hound the EC even though it managed to scrape through with 48 percent of the votes.
It is totally unfair to protest against the EC for not doing its job. As far as it is concerned, the EC had ceded to all of Bersih’s demands including the use of the indelible ink.
During the last few Black 505 rallies, Pakatan had leveled blatant accusations against the EC and calling for the resignation of the EC chief and his deputy.
Luckily the deputy prime minister and a few other BN leaders have come to their aid.
The indelible ink
And if that is not enough, the Opposition is now making a big fuss over the indelible to the extent of suing the EC, which is really going overboard.
Only RM7.1 million were spent out of the RM465 million election budget to purchase the indelible ink, how can anyone expect miracles.
MCA and Gerakan is right that the indelible ink is not only outdated, but messy, complicated, a waste of money and impractical compared to the modern biometric system. The outdated system could also have contributed to their current misfortune.
If the biometric system were used BN would have won with larger margins due to its hi-tech resistance to fraud and double voting.
Bowing to the demands of Bersih, the indelible ink were used resulting in much confusion. And being new, resistance towards its use cannot be helped.
The EC played an excellent role to ensure that the indelible ink did not touch on the sensitivities of religion, and reducing its indelibility to neutralize its carcinogenic content so that everyone would not be exposed to skin cancer or something to that effect.
It also has to ensure that the ink would be chemical free and not leave a permanent mark on the forefinger.
Moreover, silver nitrate is expensive and it was for the EC to control its modest use. The fact that only 1 percent of silver nitrate was used instead of the normal 10-18% shows that the EC and the government were prudent in its spending.
How can anyone have the cheek to accuse BN of overspending?
Since it is the first time that the ink made its debut, we should not blame the EC for making unavoidable mistakes in its mixing. In fact everyone especially the ladies were happy that the ink disappeared within a day or two.
Complaints of women refusing to vote for fear of staining their lovely nail polish including the religious sensitive was handled with great care by the EC to provide them release forms to sign.
That is why there was a near 80 percent turnout. Syabas for the EC.
The EC also did a fantastic job ensuring that the ink weren’t permanent as many people couldnt ignore the big sigh of relief from everyone nationwide, when the ink came off with persistent washing.
But if there are pro-Opposition voters who spend an hour diligently trying to wash the stain of their fingers and then suddenly get a rude shock at how quick it came off, and running of to make police reports, what can the EC do?
Over a thousand police reports were recorded much to the chagrin of the overworked police force but the EC is more concerned as to how many Opposition supporters went out vote again after discovering that the stain had come off.
But unlike pro-BN voters who would cover their fingers with tape or condom like bandages while washing or taking showers for at least two weeks, just to show off proudly that they exercise their right to vote; how many would want to take the risk to go and vote while still carrying a heavily stained forefinger?
EC’s excellent job
The fact that BN managed to retain the government with a mere 48 percent of the votes show that democracy is very much alive in this country, and that the EC did a fantastic job to ensure a free and fair election and crown the rightful winner.
In most other countries 52 percent of the vote is enough to see the demise of most governments.
So isn’t it quite justified for the BN government to reward the EC with a RM200 million bonus for a job well done?
Would not Pakatan have done the same for the EC if they had won?
Only RM465 million were spent compared to RM200 million in GE12 shows that the EC will not spare a single dime to ensure a free and fair election.
Fated to rule forever and a day
But more important the EC has ensured that our nation continues to be administered by an experienced albeit a minority government that will ensure stability and peace.
Imagine if Pakatan had won; there would be chaos and turmoil, the stock market would tumble, and Pakatan would be ousted by the army in less than a year like what is currently happening in Egypt.
There would have been an Arab Spring.
Today, the country is experiencing a rare episode of calm and collectiveness, chiefly due to the fact that BN continues to rule with wisdom and integrity. Never has the country felt so peaceful and bliss since the last election especially in the rural hinterlands.
We have also avoided a potential racial conflict and the nation is starting to heal itself. The Najib administration made an excellent choice by appointing Zahid Hamidi to the Home Ministry and switching with Hishammuddin Hussein for the Defence Ministry.
It is a matter of time before the country heals itself as BN continues to implement its transformation policies to ensure Malaysia continues to develop without hindrance.
Time to move forward
That is why it is so important for the GST to be implemented so that the country can collect an additional RM45 billion to finance its engine growth.
If not the extra RM45 billion would have gone to waste from careless overspending by Malaysians.
Even AES should not be delayed as it will save more lives while ensuring a profitable income for the government coffers to fine tune our nation’s development.
Malaysians must continue to place its trust on the government and not complain about rising cost of petrol, electricity and water.
We should be prudent and cut spending by reducing our chicken intake so that the nation can repair itself and move towards first nation status.
Billions are needed to reduce the national debt and combat corruption and Malaysians must contribute our litle bit to ensure BN continues to be in power forever.
Kuala Besut by-election
Now Pakatan Rakyat is again accusing BN of money politics after BN approved a RM35 million project to upgrade and fix the Lowvier Dam which will increase the production of paddy and a RM250 million project to deepen the estuary and build a breakwater in Kuala Besut.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has reiterated that BN is not asking for anything in return but only hope that all Kuala Besut voters turn up once again to exercise their right in the by-election.
It only goes to show how big-hearted and honest BN leaders really are.
Meanwhile, the EC had the courtesy to declare that the results of Kuala Besut by-election will be announced at 10pm at the earliest on July 24 to respect those performing Tarawikh prayers during the fasting month.
The EC is going to ensure that there would be no foul play in the by-election and BN should win before Terengganu comes to a complete standstill.
Pakatan has gone overboard by dragging EC officials to court via a civil suit over the indelible ink issue.
The EC has followed Treasury procedures in procuring the controversial indelible ink despite claims that the supplier was linked to the commission’s top officials.
It was a directly-negotiated contract which wasn’t unlawful as it was allowed by the Finance Ministry and the administrative matters and procurement were handled by the secretariat following financial procedures.
And last but not least, the Bersih People’s Tribunal on GE 13 has called on members of the public to submit evidence and/or witness statement pertaining to electoral fraud and irregularities on Malaysia’s 13th general election before Aug 16 just to ascertain whether the last election was conducted in a free and fair manner.
With so much pressure piling on the EC, how can the body continue to remain neutral, independent and transparent? It would be a matter of time before it caves in and become a slave to the Opposition.
Tour consultant, sports pilot, naturalist and satirist Iskandar Dzulkarnain has been writing a few years now. He is a FMT columnist who loves writing satirical pieces like this one.
