SRDC chairman supports Tebedu rep’s proposal for review of allowance for community leaders

SIBU (Nov 25): Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) chairman Sempurai Petrus Ngelai supports the proposal by Tebedu assemblyman Dr Simon Sinang Bada that the allowance for village heads, community leaders and councillors be reviewed.

He said the proposal carried weight due to the important roles they played as frontliners and the bridge between the government and the people.

“Therefore I echo and support the proposal by Dr Sinang for the state government to revise the allowance,” he said in a statement.

Dr Sinang made the proposal at the State Legislative Assembly recently.

According to Dr Sinang, the current allowance for village heads, community leaders and councillors does not commensurate with their duties and responsibility.

Currently, monthly allowance for community leaders is RM1,300, while village heads receive RM900 and councillors get RM300.

Dr Sinang said according to the definition on the national poverty level, anyone with an income between RM980 and R2,208 belongs to the B40 group which means village heads, community leaders and councillors belong to the poor group.

Meanwhile, Sempurai said the roles of councillors are not only in the meeting room as policymakers within their respective councils but they also go to the ground and engage with the community.

He said such important roles required the revision of their allowances which must be considered by the state government in order for them to discharge their duties effectively.

“Their roles as policymakers and frontliners require them to engage with the community to ensure that government policies like Post-Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 will be accepted and understood by the community and people at large.”