BIOMETRIC VS INDELIBLE INK

Why is there so much of debate and confusion over the use of the biometric system over the indelible ink in the upcoming GE? The government seems to favor the use of the biometric system, while the opposition prefers the indelible ink. There has also been several write-ups regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the biometric system, but there is literally nothing written to discredit the use of the indelible ink. Now, this opens to a lot of interpretation, doubts and suspicion that there is something amiss when the government stamps its approval for the use of the biometric system that is going to costs a phenomenal sum to purchase the entire system.

I personally do not have any inkling as to the costs, but obviously someone along the way will be making big bucks. I also do not know how the procurement is to be made i.e. via an open tender, a negotiated tender or via the ‘much favored’ direct negotiation process. But I presume the process of procurement will never be made known, because as I have too often heard that whenever there is big money involved, a purchase have already been made even before a tender process is announced. They say that this is quite normal when it involves a huge procurement exercise, and the famous ‘wahyu system’ comes to my mind.

I remembered that the indelible ink was to be used during the 2008 GE, but for some unknown reason, it was never used. There goes the million ringgit purchase down the drain, and nobody took any notice, responsibility or blame for such wasteful spending. I am quite sure the purchase of the indelible ink was authorized after much thought, but the decision not to use it was a thoughtless one. I wonder who could be the thoughtless person who gave the instruction not to use the indelible ink, and I only hope that the decision to use the biometric system this time does not end like the indelible ink. You see, nowadays people don’t really care about wasteful spending of tax payers money, because they know it is not coming direct from their own pocket.

Now, when one talks about wasteful spending, I am driven to believe that most government agencies/departments/ministries continuously spend public money without much care and concern. Take a dig into the Annual Auditors General’s Report and one realizes the level of ineptitude, callousness and the high incidence of corruption among those that are empowered with the authority to approve public spending. But the sad part is that the effort of the Auditor General in reporting the abuse and flaws in public spending is never appreciated. Some report just gets into the left ear and exits through the right ear of the ‘bosses’ without a finger being lifted. Why is this so? Where is the accountability that our political leaders and ‘bosses’ talked about? The only thing that I so often hear are only praises heaped upon those with the authority to approve public spending. And I can tell you without any inhibition that the praises comes from those that fully benefit from such approvals; dubious or otherwise.

Honestly, I fear the collapse of a system where trust, honesty, integrity have now become merely words without a soul and meaning. This state of affair is fast approaching and it can be seen happening even with our ‘naked eye’. There is no longer the fear of being reprimanded or being arrested, and if this is allowed to go on, I am certain; my fear will become a reality.

CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION