GE15: National poll priced at RM1.01 billion; cost 50 per cent more than GE14

PUTRAJAYA - The 15th General Eelection (GE15) -- to be held on November 19 -- will approximately cost the country RM1.01 billion; which is a 50 per cent increment from the previous national poll (GE14) done in 2018.

Election Commission chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh however did not explain the significant surge of said electoral cost given how unlike in GE14; the coming national poll will only involve simultaneous state elections in Perlis, Perak and Pahang.

In GE14, only Sarawak did not hold a state election in tandem with the parliamentary elections as the Borneo state already did theirs in 2016.

Abdul Ghani also said that the cost for GE15 is also inclusive of the Bugaya by-election which will be held on the same day as GE15.

“The electoral rolls that will used for the GE15 and by-election in Bugaya, Sabah are the August additional electoral rolls that was updated until October 9, 2022," said Abdul Ghani.

As it is, the electoral roll for GE15 has a total of 21,173,638 voters comprising 20,905,366 normal voters; 146,737 armed forces personnel and their spouses; 118,794 police officers and their spouses and 2,741 overseas voters.

"A total of 363,515 officers will be appointed to handle GE15," he added.

The officers will be stationed at 8,958 voting centers comprising of 38,348 polling stations.

"To ensure the smoothness of the campaiging period, the EC has formed 625 election campaign enforcement teams, consisting the police, local authorities and the candidate representatives," said Abdul Ghani.

GE15 was triggered after the Yang diPertuan Agong acceded to the then-Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's request to dissolve the parliament with latter announcing the news on October 10.

Ismail Sabri's announcement was met with heavy criticisims as detractors argued against such a decision over flood concerns due to incoming monsoon season that will hit the country mid-November.