ALSO known as election ink or electoral stain, indelible ink is used in elections to prevent electoral fraud, which can occur through methods such as double voting, by marking those who have already voted once.
Many countries such as Indonesia, Egypt and Uganda use indelible ink during elections, especially in cases where it is difficult to determine the identity of voters through identification card and documents.
It was initially stated by the Election Commission on Aug 13, 2007, that indelible ink was to be used in Malaysia’s 2008 general elections but was canceled on March 4, 2008, as a constitutional amendment would have to be made in order to stop someone from voting if they had already been marked.
The common practice is to place the mark on the index finger, often specifically including the cuticle where it is almost impossible to remove effectively.
The mark is usually visible on skin for at least three days afterwards but can last up to four weeks on the fingernail and cuticle and can only be removed when new cells are grown to replace those which are marked.
The ink usually consists of a pigment and a low percentage of silver nitrate which stains the skin when exposed to ultraviolet light.
Fears that indelible ink could contain impure substances prohibited in Islam or negatively effect the health of those stained were allayed after a special conference was held on Aug 8, 2007, by the Fatwa Committee National Council of Islamic Religious Aff airs Malaysia.
The Committee also decided that the mark would not interfere with abolutions as it did not stop water from touching the skin but cautioned against using more than the amount tested by experts.
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International Arbitration Conference by CIArb Malaysia (22 to 24 Aug 2013) Organised by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, this conference will be held at Eastern & Oriental Hotel, 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 George Town, Penang, from 22 to 24 Aug 2013 (Thursday to Saturday). The conference carries 10 CPD points. Early-bird rate ends on 30 Apr 2013. Click on the link above for more details.
Seminar on Islamic Finance Regulatory Framework (23 May 2013) Organised by the Bar Council Professional Standards and Development Committee, this seminar conducted by Megat Hizaini Hassan will be held at 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm, at Raja Aziz Addruse Auditorium, Bar Council, on 23 May 2013 (Thursday). The seminar carries three CPD points. Click on the link above for more details.
8th LAWASIA Employment Law Conference, Cambodia (24 and 25 May 2013) Organised by The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (“LAWASIA”), this conference featuring Lia Alizia and Brian Williamson, will be held at Tara Angkor Hotel, Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Siem Reap, Cambodia, at 8:45 am to 7:00 pm and 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, on 24 and 25 May 2013 (Friday and Saturday), respectively. The conference carries 10 CPD points. Click on the link above for more details.
MSLSSL and MCLJ Conference on Employment and Labour Laws 2013 (30 May 2013) Organised by the Malaysian Society for Labour and Social Security Law and Malaysian Current Law Journal, this conference entitled “Current Issues on Employment and Labour Laws” will be held at 8:30 am to 6:00 pm, at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, on 30 May 2013 (Thursday). The conference carries six CPD points. Click on the link above for more details.
“Transforming Criminal Justice” One-week Study Programme (25 to 29 Nov 2013) Organised by Public Administration International (“PAI”), this UK-based one-week study programme entitled “Transforming Criminal Justice: from Joined-up Justice to Multi-agency Approaches” will be held in London from 25 to 29 Nov 2013 (Monday to Friday). For further enquiries, please contact PAI by telephone at +44 (0)20 7580 3590, by fax at +44 (0)20 7580 4746, or by email at pai@public-admin.co.uk.
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