KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — Election Commission (EC) officials and workers pocketed over RM200 million in allowances and bonuses for their services in Election 2013, Parliament was told today.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim also said in a written reply to Seremban MP Anthony Loke from the DAP today that Putrajaya had allocated RM400 million for the recent May 5 general election.

“The payment for services and bonuses for all workers in the general election is RM204,100,000,” said Shahidan.

Shahidan revealed that overtime allowances cost RM5,081,000 while polling agents and the rental for transport, technology equipment, telephone and fax lines, and other items cost RM98,465,000; other unspecified expenses cost RM92,354,000.

Loke pointed out that the allocation for the 13th general election was double the RM200 million allocation for the previous election.

“Why is it that in five years, the expenses of the election rose by 100 per cent, even though the number of voters involved only increased by 20 per cent?” said Loke in a statement.

“RM400 million to handle an election for 222 parliamentary seats means that the average cost of one parliamentary area is RM1.8 million,” he added, pointing out that an election candidate in a federal seat had an expenditure limit of just RM200,000.

Loke called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Auditor-General to investigate and audit the EC’s expenses for the 13th general election.

“If the cost to handle the Permatang Pauh by-election in 2008 was only RM409,000, what is the justification for SPR to spend an average of RM1.8 million for a federal seat in 2013?” Loke asked, using the Malay initials for the EC.

“SPR needs to realise that every sen they spend is an allocation from Parliament, which is money from taxes collected from the people,” he added.