Delible ink used in presidential election<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Semarang\/Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
The use of delible ink marred the presidential election on
\nMonday, with the General Elections Commission (KPU) vowing to
\ndemand an explanation from the four companies appointed to supply
\nthe poll material.<\/p>\n
\"The quality of the ink is very poor, it is easy to clean
\noff,\" said Yuliastuti in Semarang, showing her left little finger
\nthat no longer had an ink stain.<\/p>\n
Voters had their little fingers stained with ink after casting
\ntheir vote in a bid to avoid multiple voting.<\/p>\n
It took a least one month for the ink used in the April 5
\nlegislative election to wear off.<\/p>\n
KPU chairman Nazaruddin Syamsuddin said that after observing
\nthe low quality of the ink during his tour to Yogyakarta and
\nCentral Java that he would summon the management of PT Printcolor
\nIndonesia, PT Asgarindo Utama, PT Cipta Tora Utama and PT Benda
\nUtama, the companies that supplied the ink.<\/p>\n
\"We have received reports on the delible ink, and this
\nindicates that the ink provided by the firms is not of good
\nquality,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nazaruddin suspected that the ink was mixed with too much
\nwater.<\/p>\n
Unlike the ink used in the legislative election, the ink for
\nthe presidential election was locally made.<\/p>\n
\"In the previous election we imported the ink from India. This
\ntime around we used locally made ink as we wanted to promote
\nIndonesian products, aside from its lower price,\" said
\nNazaruddin.<\/p>\n
One bottle of local ink costs Rp 19,750 (US$2.12), compared to
\nimported ink costing between Rp 28,750 and Rp 30,275. KPU
\nallocated Rp 200 billion for the procurement of ink.<\/p>\n
Nazaruddin said the commission would impose penalties on the
\nfirms that procured the ink. \"The deceitful company will for sure
\nbe blacklisted in the second round of the presidential election,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, KPU member Valina Singka Subekti said that prior
\nto distributing the ink, the commission had tested it in
\nlaboratories belonging to the Indonesian Institute of Sciences
\n(LIPI).<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/delible-ink-used-in-presidential-election-1447893297",
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