The government is spending RM1.27 million per day for the living cost of prisoners nationwide, Deputy Internal Security Minister Fu Ah Kiow told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Replying to a question from Astaman Abdul Aziz (BN-Titiwangsa) during the question-and-answer session today, Fu said each prisoner costs the government RM30 per day.

The money include daily living and rehabilitation cost that covers meals, accommodation, water and electricity, clothes, vocational training, counseling, religious ceramah and library facilities.

"The total number of prisoners include those held at the illegal immigrants detention depot up to Sept 4 this year is 42,483 persons," Fu told the House.

"Therefore, the government need to spend around RM1,274,490 each day to bear their cost," he added.

Of the total number of prisoners, 16,303 or 38.3 percent are foreigners. With this, the government has to spend RM489,090 on the foreign prisoners per day.