Perak Government Completes Appointment of 658 Traditional Village Heads, Second Phase to Follow

Perak Government Completes Appointment of 658 Traditional Village Heads, Second Phase to Follow

The Perak government has successfully appointed 658 out of 828 traditional village heads in the first phase, with the remainder set to receive their appointment letters in the near future.

Menteri Besar, Dato Seri Saarani Mohamad, explained that the second phase of appointments will involve 170 villages due to changes and grassroots requests to fill the positions.

According to him, there were previously several issues such as village heads not residing in their administrative areas, age factors, health problems, and other obstacles.

Strict Conditions to Ensure Quality Service

"These conditions were set so that the village head can function as intended. Each village head can only serve until the age of 65 and they cannot be reappointed if they are already of advanced age," emphasized Saarani.

"We want a village head to be in good health. If they have serious health problems, we have to replace them with another individual in the second phase," he added.

He said this after officiating the 2025 Perak State Orang Asli Community Symposium at the Banquet Hall of the Perak Darul Ridzuan Building here.

Appointment Process Involves Multi-Party Cooperation

Saarani emphasized that the list of village heads was prepared through consultations within the Unity Government Committee, which includes various parties in the state government.

"The appointment process involves new appointments, the renewal of existing incumbents, as well as the involvement of more women and the younger generation," he explained.

Government Commitment to the Orang Asli Community

In the meantime, Saarani emphasized that the state government has never sidelined the welfare and needs of the Orang Asli community, and is always striving to improve the living standards of the community in various aspects.

He cited the success of the Kelah Sanctuary Project in Kampung Sungai Tiang, Royal Belum by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), which not only preserves biodiversity but also boosts the tourism economy with over 30,000 visitors annually.

"Similarly, in Kampung Sungai Kejar, Royal Belum, the Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA) provided a solar system that improves the residents' quality of life, while SEAD Industries will develop an Orang Asli Cultural Village in Pos Raya, Simpang Pulai," he said.

With the appointment of village heads being more transparent and inclusive, along with a continuous commitment to community development, the Perak government continues to move forward in ensuring the well-being of all levels of society.

- Bernama