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PARLIAMENT The police’s budget for the recently-concluded Kuala Besut by-election was over RM8 million, the Parliament was told today.

NONEIn a written answer to DAP’s Seremban MP Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that the figure was for 3,364 police officers who were deployed for the state seat by-election in Terengganu.

Out of the RM8.36 million budget, about RM5.7 million of it was allocated to tent rental for the officers on duty.

However, Loke pointed out that the ratio of police officers to Kuala Besut residents was also high, with one officer deployed for every five people in Kuala Besut.

"In the previous by-election there was no major unrest, so why did the government have to deploy so many policemen to be in Kuala Besut?" Loke asked during a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

The other expenditure includes:

  • RM1.3 million was spent for food and drinks for police officers;
  • RM500,000 for vehicle and building repairs;
  • RM342,000 for vehicle spare-parts;
  • RM211,000 for buying general and office equipments; and
  • RM192,000 for travelling allowances.
In the written answer, the ministry said that the police officers were deployed to man ceramah venues, roads, polling centres, and counting centres.

The officers were there from nomination day up to voting day.