PARLIAMENT A total of RM7.23 million was incurred by the police force to control the two-day Bersih 4 rally and the Sept 16 red shirt rally, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

In his capacity as home minister, Zahid said in a parliamentary written reply that the cost incurred and police force deployed on the ground for Sept 16 rally, dubbed 'Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu', doubled that of the Bersih 4 rally, despite Bersih 4 being held over two days.

For Bersih 4 on Aug 29 and 30, the police mobilised 191 officers and 2,419 policemen and the expenditure was RM2,737,400.

As for the red shirt rally, a total of 263 officers and 3,648 men were sent to the ground. The total cost incurred was RM4,500,927.50.

"The police prepared to guard both rallies to ensure they were conducted smoothly and without chaos," Zahid said.

He was responding to Anthony Loke (DAP-Seremban) who asked on the total expenditure borne by Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) for police force deployment in the two rallies.

"On both deployments, PDRM utilised all the elements in police, which consisted of the Dang Wang district police headquarters men, traffic police, Criminal Investigations Department, General Operations Force and the Federal Reserve Unit.

"They were supervised by the Kuala Lumpur chief police officer," Zahid said.

The 34-hour Bersih 4 rally was organised by electoral reform group Bersih to pressure Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on the1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal and RM2.6 billion donation that went into his private bank accounts.

In response, the National Silat Federation (Pesaka) organised the red shirt rally on Malaysia Day, to "uphold Malays dignity".

This rally, initially named Himpunan Maruah Melayu, went out of control, with a group of 800 protesters trying to break into Petaling Street.

Police moved in and also fired water cannons to disperse the protesters.

At a press conference later, Loke said the Bersih 4 mammoth rally was treated as though it would threaten public order.

The written reply by Ahmad Zahid, he said, showed that the police realised Bersih 4 was more peaceful than the red shirt rally.

He urged the police to stop any rally being planned by National Silat Federation (Pesaka) as its president Ali Rustam said the martial art group is ready for war if ever challenged.