KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 – Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said police spent nearly twice as much on security for the September 16 “red shirt” rally than on the Bersih 4 gathering a month earlier to maintain law and order. He said there was a total of 191 officers and 2,419 personnel of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) were mobilised for the Bersih 4 gathering in August with the overall cost of RM2.74 million
He said PDRM had made thorough preparation to ensure the gathering went smoothly and did not cause any disturbance. For Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu in September, he said 263 officers and 3,648 personnel were mobilised at a cost of RM4.5 million. Zahid told Anthony Loke (DAP-Seremban) who wanted to know the total number of police personnel and cost on both rallies by PDRM during the Bersih 4 and Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu gatherings in a written parliamentary reply.
He said the security force had utilised all elements in PDRM, comprising the Dang Wangi District Police and Traffic Branch personnel. He added that the others were the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), General Operation Force, Federal Reserve Unit and the CID K9 branch and other elements supervised by the Kuala Lumpur Police chief.
