IPOH: A total of 658 village chiefs across Perak have received their letters of appointment, says Perak Mentri Besar.
Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said that another 170 village chiefs will be appointed in the second round, bringing the total to 827 across the state.
"Those appointed must not exceed 65 years old. If they are, we have to replace them," he told reporters after officiating the Simposium Komuniti Orang Asli Perak 2025.
Saarani explained that appointments in phases are made based on age limit and requests from political parties.
“There were also changes following requests from ruling political parties. For instance, following internal branch-level elections in PKR, there were changes in positions," he said.
When asked whether there were many new faces among the appointees, Saarani said yes.
“Yes, quite a number, although I don’t have the exact figures. Many were replaced due to age.
"When appointing new individuals, we must be cautious. They must live in the village they serve, we can’t appoint someone who resides elsewhere to lead another village," he said.
On whether youth representation was included, Saarani said there were younger individuals appointed.
“For example, in Lenggong, we appointed village chiefs aged 31, 32, and 33. We want a balance between experience and fresh perspectives. Younger appointees also have more time to grow in the role,” he said.
When asked about female representation, Saarani added that women were also appointed.
