GE13: Election Commission spent RM400mil on recent polls

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM400 million was spent to hold the 13th general election, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.

Of that total, RM98.465 million was spent on information technology equipment, transport rentals, fax machine, telephones and others.

"Some RM204.1mil was used to pay for the services and bonuses of all general election officers while another RM5.081mil was spent for overtime allowances," he said in a written reply to Anthony Loke Siew Fook (DAP - Seremban).

Other miscellaneous expenditure amounted to RM92.354mil, Shahidan said.

Shahidan said this sum was out of the RM400mil approved by the Finance Ministry for the cost of the polls.

At a press conference in the Parliament lobby, Loke questioned the RM400mil expenditure for the polls as it was a 100% increase from the 2008 general election, which incurred RM200mil.

"How is it possible that the costs of the polls can escalate by 100% within five years even though the number of voters has only increased by 20%?" he asked.

Loke said the RM400mil to manage 222 parliamentary seats meant that the average cost for each constituency was RM1.8mil.

Loke also called for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and Auditor-General to set up a special committee to look into the EC's expenditure.