GE15: Polls expected to cost over RM1bil, says EC (political parties estimated to spend another RM4 billion)

(The Star) – The 15th General Election is estimated to cost RM1.01bil to organise, said the Election Commission (EC).

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh said a total of 222 parliamentary as well as 117 state seats will be up for grabs as Malaysians go to the polls on Nov 19.

The state seats involved are 42 in Pahang, 15 in Perlis, 59 in Perak and one in Sabah.

The Sabah seat which is Bugaya has been left vacant since the death of its incumbent assemblyman on Nov 17, 2020.

However, a by-election could not be held after an emergency was declared due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Perlis, Pahang and Perak are the only states that will be involved in GE15.

Sabah, Sarawak, Melaka and Johor had gone to polls recently.

The Pakatan Harapan-led states of Selangor, Penang and Negri Sembilan and the PAS-governed Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah did not dissolve their state assemblies.

The EC had also announced that Nomination Day falls on Nov 5 while early voting is on Nov 15.

A total of 363,515 workers have been appointed to manage the election.

Some 8,958 polling centres and 38,348 voting streams will be opened on polling day.

For early voting, 970 polling centres nationwide will be involved.