SIMANGGANG: Four new faces were appointed as community leaders and village chiefs (KMKK) here on Friday (Feb 6).
They were among 47 people, 43 of whom were reappointed, who received their service letters from Deputy Minister for Talent Development, Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, at the Simanggang Community Service Centre here.
During the event, Harden, who is Simanggang state assemblyman, commended the KMKK for accepting the challenge to serve, urging them to uphold their responsibilities with dedication and integrity.
He highlighted the importance of village chiefs in ensuring residents are informed and represented, stressing that they must follow district office guidelines, update village profiles, and hold at least six meetings annually.
Village chiefs, as chairs of the Village Development and Security Committees (JKKK), were also encouraged to actively participate in government and GPS-led programmes on behalf of their communities.
Acknowledging the increasing workload of KMKK, Harden announced that the Sarawak Government has approved salary increments for community leaders and allowances for village chiefs, effective January 2026.
He emphasised that the KMKK must align their work with government policies and maintain high standards of leadership.
“KMKK must possess in-depth knowledge of government policies. A KMKK should lead firmly and fairly, exercise sound discretion in decision-making, and avoid conflicts that could disrupt community harmony,” he said.
The event also included the recitation of an Integrity Pledge led by village head, Jubin Hilton Muda.
A Certificate of Appreciation was also presented to the wife of the late Shara’ai Abdul Rahim, village chief of RPR Phase 1, who passed away on Nov 18 last year while still in service.
