INDELIBLE INK SUPPLIER: INTEGRATED CHALLENGER (M) SDN. BHD.

RAFIZI: iNDELIBLE INK SUPPLIED BY BUSINESSMAN CLOSE TO EC LEADERS

BY BOO SU-LYN J U L Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 3 U P D AT E D : J U L Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 3 0 4 : 4 1 P M

KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 The contract for the flawed indelible ink used in Election 2013 was awarded via direct negotiation to a businessman close to the Election Commission (EC) chairman and deputy, PKRs Rafizi Ramli (picture) said today. The PKR strategy director said businessman Mohd Salleh Mohd Ali has also received contracts from the Defence Ministry. Mohd Salleh Mohd Ali is an expert in direct negotiation with the government, said Rafizi when debating the Supplementary Budget in Parliament here. 2

Hes close to top government leaders, including the chairman and deputy chairman of SPR, added the Pandan MP, using the Malay initials for the EC. Rafizi, who also revealed Mohd Sallehs IC number, told the House that he had obtained the information from a source within the EC. The opposition lawmaker added that Mohd Salleh controls three companies, one of which is Integrated Challenger (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. An internet check on Integrated Challenger shows that it is based in Shah Alam, but no company website is listed. The indelible ink, which turned into a national scandal after voters complained about it coming off easily with household detergents or soap and water, cost about RM7 million, according to Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim. EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar has explained that the election ink failed to stay on for seven days because the level of silver nitrate needed to give the ink its permanence had been kept at just one per cent following the Health Ministrys recommendations and to meet halal requirements for Muslims. The matter, however, sank deeper into controversy when Shahidan appeared to communicate that even the one per cent of silver nitrate had not been present, telling Parliament last month that there were no chemicals in the ink, and just food colouring.

But Wan Ahmad later contradicted Shahidan and said that the ink did contain one per cent silver nitrate, and that it was likely classified as a metal, instead of a chemical. He said that food dye was used to turn the indelible ink red for early voters and dark blue for ordinary voters. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has also opened an investigation into the procurement of the ink. The indelible ink fiasco was turned into the subject of a civil suit filed yesterday by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) against ECs seven commissioners, including Wan Ahmad and EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof. The opposition coalition is suing the EC officials for allegedly practising fraud in the use of the indelible ink, which is meant to prevent double-voting, in the 13th general election and wants the High Court here to order fresh polls. PR noted yesterday that it had lost about 30 federal seats with less than 10 per cent of the votes, saying in its statement of claim: Therefore, even if a small percentage of dishonest voters were able to wrongfully vote more than once because of the deliberate failure of the EC to implement indelible ink, they were sufficient to affect the results in a significant number of seats. Barisan Nasional (BN) maintained its grip on power in the May 5 polls by winning 133 federal seats to PRs 89, 21 seats more than the required 112 seats to form a simple majority. - See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/rafiziindelible-ink-supplied-by-businessman-close-to-ecleaders#sthash.q1MOeoSz.dpuf

Rafizi names indelible ink supplier, linked to top EC officials

BY JENNIFER GOMEZ JULY 16, 2013

The indelible ink contract was given to a Mohamed Salleh Mohd Ali who is closely linked to the Election Commission's (EC) top officials, Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli told Parliament today. He said Mohamed Salleh was a "pro" at conducting direct negotiations with the government. He had even secured contracts from the defence ministry. Rafizi backed his claim while debating the Supplementary Supply bill today by also providing Mohd Salehs identity card number 671111266502. During a press conference three weeks ago, Rafizi had asked the EC to reveal the name of the ink supplier or he would do it in Parliament. He had claimed his investigations revealed that the contract for the ink supply was given to a company owned by a Singaporean who had no expertise on the matter. He also disclosed that the company did not have the capital for the job and had met a Kampung Baru businessman for a RM7 million loan

He further demanded the resignation of the entire EC as the public had lost confidence in it.

Rafizi names indelible ink supplier, linked to top EC officials

The indelible ink contract was given to a Mohamed Salleh Mohd Ali who is closely linked to the Election Commission's (EC) top officials, Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli told Parliament today.

He said Mohamed Salleh was a "pro" at conducting direct negotiations with the government.

He had even secured contracts from the defence ministry.