Borhan (standing, with red top) sharing a light moment with village heads during the appreciation dinner.
AN appreciation night for village heads in Selangor gave grassroots leaders the opportunity to shine.
Held in the grand ballroom of a five-star hotel in Klang, the event had a dress code that required attendees come in traditional attire.
Hence, all the ketua kampung and penghulu turned up dressed to the nines in colourful batik, shiny kain songket and glittering accessories.
The guest of honour was state rural development, village traditions, Malay customs, culture and heritage committee chairman Borhan Aman Shah, who wore a head-turning red and gold brocade baju Melayu.
Joining Borhan were Selangor Economic Planning Unit sectorial section senior assistant director Aslynda Mohd Dahlan, Kuala Selangor district officer Mohd Raiz Radzuan, Bukit Melawati assemblyman Juwairiya Zulkifli and Ijok assemblyman Dr Idris Ahmad.
Tanjak, the Malay headgear, made by an artisan in Kajang, was presented to each attendee at the appreciation night, prompting those who had showed up in songkok to do a quick change before the event began.
Live music and traditional dances were performed throughout the evening.
Tajuddin Salam, who has served as village head of Kampung Hulu Bernam Selatan for nine years, said this was the third time he had attended the state-wide gathering of village heads, but this event was the grandest.
“It’s a great feeling to know that the role of village head is appreciated by the state government.
“It is also a good way to promote unity and provide a chance for the state to evaluate the village community management councils (MPKK),” he said.
Kampung Ijok received special recognition as a high-performing MPKK that night.
Ketua kampung Zairol Nizam Kaliwon went on stage to receive the award on behalf of the village council committee.
He said that a video presentation put together by the MPKK on how council members had distributed food aid to households under quarantine, and organised temporary shelters after the village was hit by floods while the movement control order was still in force, had impressed judges for the award category.
Other awards also honoured the longest-serving village heads who have been serving since 2008 and gave recognition to 27 of the best MPKKs in the districts of Petaling, Klang, Sepang, Gombak, Kuala Langat, Hulu Langat, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor and Sabak Bernam.
Recognition was also accorded to the state’s first five women village heads.
In his speech, Borhan revealed that Selangor was the first state to elect women ketua kampung.
He said these appointments were in line with the state’s policy to ensure that 30% of its administration level posts would be taken up by women so that they would be empowered to make decisions and form policies.
There are 17 women village heads in Selangor today.
During the event, Borhan also announced the establishment of two new village councils this year: Kampung Teluk Piai and Kampung Tanjung Keramat.
Both villages were originally part of Kampung Permatang in Kuala Selangor.
The establishment of these two village councils brings the total number of traditional villages in Selangor to 373.
There are altogether 524 villages in the state; 77 are new villages whereas 74 are Orang Asli settlements.
