Young chiefs redefine Chinese village leadership

The Star

a day ago

New blood: (From left) Tan and Kong.
JOHOR BARU: Village chiefs are typically seen as seasoned elders. But a new wave of young leaders in Johor's Chinese new villages is breaking that mould.
Among them is 26-year-old Tan Lee Ann, who grew up watching her father serve as village chief in Kampung Asahan Sialang Relau in Tangkak, near the Johor-Melaka border.
'I saw how tirelessly he helped the villagers over the years, from raising funds for B40 students to improving village facilities.
'This left a deep impression on me at a young age.
'I decided that I wanted to do something similar for the village and help others when I grow up,' said Tan, one of the youngest village chiefs appointed in Johor on June 1.
She also hopes to use her experience in managing her family's oil palm nursery and her involvement in a young leaders and entrepreneurs network to bring positive changes to the village of fewer than 200 residents.
'With many youths leaving for bigger towns and cities, I aim to organise more meaningful programmes to draw young people back to contribute to the community's development.
'Since being appointed, I have been going around to meet villagers because there is no use going through this journey alone. I need to understand their concerns first.
'Development must be based on their needs, not assumptions,' she said.
Tan also stressed that age is not a barrier when it comes to leadership.
'Responsibility and sincerity have nothing to do with age. I will do my best to carry out this duty throughout my two-year term,' she added.
Another young leader, Kong Kah Seng, began his second term as Kulai's Kampung Baru Seelong village chief.
Kong is already planning to set up a library and a commercial hub to nurture local talent and entrepreneurship.
The 29-year-old was first appointed as village chief more than two years ago.
Kong, who owns a construction company, said he even relocated his office to the village after his first appointment to be closer to the residents.
'Some people told me I would quit after three months because I would not be able to handle the pressure.
'I chose to let my results speak for themselves. My village raised me, so this is my opportunity to give back,' he said.
During his first stint as village chief, Kong said he had successfully lobbied for road and drainage upgrades in the village, which has more than 1,100 residents.
The mix of young and old keeps the community vibrant during village events, and he hopes to further tap into that spirit in his second term.
Kong said that one of his proudest achievements was helping a stateless girl obtain citizenship in April.
He also helped university graduates from diverse backgrounds secure internships with Kulai area companies, driven by his deep passion for education.
'I have built strong relationships with universities like Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Southern University College, and I want to use those connections to open more doors for our youths,' said Kong, who holds a Master of Business Adminis­tra­tion.
Kong said the growing trend of young people stepping into grassroots leadership roles, driven by their desire to serve the public, should be continuously supported and nurtured.
'Although we are young, I believe we can make the voices of our villagers, regardless of their age, heard,' he added.
Johor health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the new term for the state's 123 Chinese new village chiefs commenced on June 1 and will run until May 31, 2027.
He said out of the total, 80 of them were reappointments, while the remaining 43 are new faces.
'Among those appointed are 19 youths aged below 40, accounting for 16%, while 26 are women village chiefs, at about 21%.
'I hope this injects some young and fresh perspectives into the leadership positions and contributes to the development of the state,' he said.