Holding general and state elections separately will see additional spending of up to RM700 million, says minister in the prime minister’s department (parliament and law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

Six states do not dissolve their state assemblies after the dissolution of Dewan Rakyat.

Wan Junaidi earlier said the expenditure varied according to the number of seats and the size of the state assemblies.

It is estimated that each state election would cost up to RM100 million.

According to the book Pilihan Raya Demokrasi Malaysia, an election in 1959 cost about RM1.04 million but the cost of the 14th general elections in 2018 increased by 500-fold to RM500 million.

Expenditure for elections has increased over the years, from between RM10 million and RM12 million in 1986, to RM100 million in 2004.

The Sarawak state election in 2016 cost RM135.6 million and RM130 million for Sabah in 2020.

The four state elections held in the last two years cost a total of RM420 million.

In his reply at Dewan Rakyat on March 13, Wan Junaidi said RM130 million was spent in the Sabah state election, RM45 million for Melaka, RM149 million for Sarawak and RM96 million for Johor.

The expenses included purchase and leasing of election equipment, transportation, information and telecommunication technology devices, back-end support, staff allowance as well as equipment for the prevention of Covid-19 infection.

Wan Junaidi said the 15th Melaka state election last year incurred higher cost than the previous election by RM32 million. The 2018 state election cost only RM 13million.

The cost of Johor state election increased sharply by RM61 million, compared to only RM35 million previously.

Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan do not dissolve their state assemblies this time.