JULY 1 — The Election Commission’s No. 1 and 2 are not in a good mood. Malaysians, gutted by the disclosure in Parliament that the indelible ink used in GE13 was actually "edible", want them to resign — not for the first time though.

Only this time, the pair has stuck the dagger deeper into the heart of voters. They have few friends. They have been thrust into a potentially catastrophic political conflict ahead of the Kuala Besut by-election.

In a democracy, one act of contradictory statement by the regulatory elections body spawns mistrust of the government.

Understandably, the two are being wrestled to the floor but will they stay down — meaning will they resign?

Clearly, voters were misled by the use of indelible ink in GE13. So, are the EC top brass guilty of staggeringly bad judgment and ethical dim-wittedness?

They never came across as an independent regulator. They treated voters like children caught in a lie while dismissing every minor point of their argument as idiotic.

The EC handles voters like hecklers who have thoughtlessly interrupted its work. Their demeanour is one of gruff agitation. The two men are not lovable and should be somewhere else. They are time-consuming men who often try to confront you with "knowledge" that falls flat.

Like, how would national security be threatened or riots sparked if the supplier of the RM7.1 million indelible ink was revealed?

Like, why were we told that the Health Ministry had, over health concerns, advised against having more than one per cent of silver nitrate — a critical component that would prevent it from being easily washed off and last for several days — in the indelible ink to be brushed on the index fingers of voters?

Only for the health minister to openly contradict the EC chairman that the commission had never consulted his ministry on the safety of the indelible ink. We wait anxiously for the chairman to produce the letter from the Health Ministry stating that putting more than one per cent of silver nitrate in the ink could damage the kidney and cause cancer.

Shouldn’t the EC tell us now whether the same ink will be used in the Kuala Besut by-election? Or, if the content of silver nitrate and food dye in the ink was being reviewed? Would another supplier be appointed?

Clearly, the EC does not enjoy public confidence as demanded by Article 114 of the Federal Constitution.

Will the people of Kuala Besut be assured of a democratic and clean by-election? Shouldn’t this be the trigger for the EC to be report to Parliament, rather than to the government?

Clearly, it’s time for Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof and his deputy Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar to ride into the sunset. They had the worst week in Malaysia.

Congrats, gentlemen.

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.