PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission (EC) has clarified that the RM400 million it was said to have spent for the 13th General Election (GE13) was actually the ceiling of budget estimates approved by the Finance Ministry, and not the actual expenditure.
Its deputy chairman, Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, said the total amount spent during GE13 would only be known when the expenditure account was closed, as payments were still being made by state EC offices.
“In terms of budget, we are transparent because the Treasury will ensure that each cost is accompanied by details and eventually, examined and audited.
“Based on our experience, the expenditure will not exceed the ceiling approved. The EC policy is, when we ask for an allocation, we do not like to do things half-way due to lack of budget.
“So, we will request for a big amount or budget,” he said in an interview with Bernama here recently.
Opposition members of parliament questioned the rationale behind the EC’s expenditure in GE13 as the figure mentioned by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.
Shahidan said RM400 million was spent in GE13, which the opposition claimed was double that of the 12th General Election, while the number of voters increased by only 20 per cent.
According to him, the amount included overtime payment of RM5.081 million, logistics, which included vehicle rentals, ICT equipment and lease line (RM98.465 million); service and token payment for workers (RM204.1 million) and other expenses (RM92.354 million).
Wan Ahmad said the ceiling increase was based on estimates presented by state EC offices, prior to submission for consideration and approval by the Treasury. — Bernama