IN defiance of the Pakatan Harapan federal government, Sarawak today said it will pay community leaders’ allowances from state coffers, going around a payment freeze imposed by the Rural Development Ministry.

“The state government will make the payments immediately, ahead of the Gawai Dayak (rice harvest festival) and Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations,” said a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office.

Following PH’s takeover of Putrajaya, the ministry had issued a directive to, among others, temporarily suspend appointments and the payment of allowances relating to village security and development committees (JKKK) and the federal village security and development committee (JKKKP).

Despite their allowances being paid by the federal government, the appointment of community leaders, and members of JKKK and JKKKP is made by the state government.

All of them are political appointments. – May 24, 2018.