JPKK appointments fall under Rural and Regional Development Ministry, says Zahid

KAJANG: There is no trouble in connection with the appointment of 373 Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) in Selangor, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who was also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the jurisdiction to appoint the committee members falls under his ministry, and not the state government.

"This is an offer from my ministry, not the state government," he told reporters after his working visit to the Civil Defence Force's headquarters on Wednesday (Jan 24).

He was commenting on the development in appointing JPKK members in Selangor, which was demanded by Umno after rejecting the offer of 20 state councillor spots.

Previously, Selangor Umno announced the decision to hand over the quota of 20 local council spots in Selangor to Pakatan Harapan.

Instead, Selangor Umno opted for the JPKK spots in the state.

Selangor Umno chairman Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin reportedly had said that the party decided to hand back the 20 local council posts but denied that it was done in protest.

He said the decision to return the post was to rebuff claims that Umno was "greedy" and "demanding", and pointed out that 20 out of the 288 local council posts worked out to only 7%.

He was also reported to have said that Umno wanted all 373 village development and security committee chairman posts in Selangor.