KOTA KINABALU:
The Rural and Regional Development Ministry has been asked to consider increasing the allowance of Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairmen in the State. Assistant Industrial Development Minister Jainab Datuk Seri Panglima Ahmad Ayid said the present allowance was still too low if compared to what the JKKK chairmen received in the Peninsular. “The function, role and responsibility of JKKK chairmen in both regions are the same. They are agents for development and are the ears and eyes of the Government who explain to the rakyat about the Government’s policies,” she said. Thus, she said the allowance of the JKKK chairmen should be standardized in the country. According to Jainab, the matter has been forwarded to Rural and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Taib when the latter held a meeting with the Sabah representatives here. “We hope he will consider reviewing the allowance of the JKKK chairmen in the State immediately,” she said. Jainab meanwhile thanked Muhammad for giving a positive response to standardising the allowance of village chiefs here. “From what we have read in the newspapers, he has assured that the allowance will be directly channelled from the Federal Government to the State Government for distribution to the village chiefs together with additional allowance from the State Government,” she said. On the target set by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry to complete infrastructure facilities such as water and electricity supplies as well as roads within a radius of 30km from the City and rural towns in the State by 2016, Jainab said it showed that the Government is committed to take care of the welfare and needs of the people. “However, if possible, we hope that rural areas in Sabah which still do not have such facilities will enjoy them early without waiting until 2016,” Jainab added.
