: This article aims to answer three main questions: what constitutes ethical leadership, how leadership in Malay culture in Jambi works and how the ethical leadership based from Seloko Jambi customs implemented. The results obtained are: (1) ethics in Jambi's Malay is understood as morality, (2) there are few traits, temperament, or action that a leader should not have in Malay Jambi culture, as mentioned in Seloko “Burung Kecik, Ciling Mato” or “small bird, blind eyes" (people who works only find fault with others and tell it when go everywhere), and (3) a leader must have good morals, are characterized by the following properties: sincere, gentle, fair, generous and thoughtful.