KUALA LUMPUR: A total RM420 million was spent by the Election Commission for the Johor, Sarawak, Melaka and Sabah elections.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said from the total, RM130 million and RM149 million were spent to conduct the 16th Sabah and 12th Sarawak elections respectively.
The EC, he said, spent RM45 million to conduct the 15th Melaka polls and RM96 million for the 15th Johor state election which concluded on March 12.
"The costs include expenses to acquire and rent election equipment, vehicles, information and communications technology (OCT) development; logistics, allowances of election staff and others.
"The expenses also included the equipment (acquired) to ensure the elections were held according to the Covid-19 prevention guidelines," he said in a written parliamentary reply.
He was responding to a question from Sim Chee Keong (PH - Bukit Mertajam) who asked the prime minister to state the total expenses for each of the state elections held in Sabah, Melaka, Sarawak and Johor.