Ketua Kaum’s office studied for efficiency: SS

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KUCHING: A comprehensive study has been conducted by the government regarding new appointments of village chiefs (ketua kaum), the results of which are expected for completion by  yearend.

REVIEWING APPOINTMENT PROCESS: Morshidi talks to the press.

REVIEWING APPOINTMENT PROCESS: Morshidi talks to the press.

State Secretary Datuk Amar Morshidi Abdul Ghani revealed that the state government is  reviewing overall aspects of the issue that include the selection process.

“New appointments of village chiefs have been ‘frozen’ since 2006 because we wanted to observe overall aspects and details of the matter.

The review, which has been ongoing since last year, also covers the size of the area under the administration of the chief, as well as being a part of our efforts to improve the quality and structure of the appointment process,” he told reporters after witnessing the signing of a memorandum-of-understanding (MoU) between Centre of Modern Management and Curtin University Sarawak Campus at Damai Beach Resort yesterday.

Morshidi’s statement followed recent reports on a problem faced by villagers of Kampung Tengah Sungai of having no village head.

To this, Morshidi said the villagers  could go straight to the  District  Office or the Resident’s  Office for advice.

“The whole process is based on the concept of hierarchy.  A village chief is only one of several channels to address any issue within an area.

“However, for those villages that have no chief, they can bring the matter to their respective local authority.”

In response to the statement by the District Office that it can only act once the State Secretary’s Office has approved the appointment of a village head, Morshidi said: “That I need to check. Even then it’s not an issue because things still get moving on the ground.”

When asked about the number of villages that have yet to have a chief, Morshidi replied: “I have to look into it as I don’t have the figures offhand.  But I think all (village heads) have been appointed.  As there are more or less 5,000 ‘kampungs’ in Sarawak, so there would be more than 5,000 village chiefs.”

Meanwhile, Deputy State Secretary Datu Abdul Ghafur Shariff said village heads are hired on a four-year term, after which their appointments are subject to review.

“For ‘ketua kaum’, the appointment will be for four years.

However, it is a fluid thing. Sometimes they resign before the expiry of their appointment.

“Their allowances are paid by the federal government, about RM450 per month, which is better than before,” Abdul Ghafur said.