Monday, June 9, 2008

Nizar: Federal Government interfering in village affairs - The Star

SITIAWAN: Jun 9, 2008

The Federal Government is practising a policy of “disintegration” by appointing its own village heads in Perak, says Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

“Now there are two village heads and that is very bad. It is not reflective of the national policy of integration,” he said.

“There is a lot of disintegration and that is not welcomed,” he said after meeting Felcra settlers at Lekir near here yesterday.

Nizar said the state had adopted guidelines for village heads to be elected since the Pakatan Rakyat government took over power after the March 8 polls.

Between 60% and 70% of the villages in the districts had completed the election of heads and the villagers were satisfied with that, he said.

However, he said, the Rural and Regional Development Ministry had re-appointed village heads who had resigned after the Pakatan Rakyat government took over power.

“The Federal Government has more or less interfered, and that is not fair,” he said.

Nizar said the Federal-appointed village heads would face problems as the state and villagers recognised only the elected ones.

Nizar also urged Felcra to allow settlers to elect their village heads instead of appointing them.

If Felcra agreed, he said, the settlement committee members could work with village committees and report to the penghulu (head) of a mukim (district).

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