‘National service is a waste of time’

The seven-year-old National Service Camp (NSC) has lost its relevance and has failed to achieve its aim, says Senawang state assemblyman P Guna.

PETALING JAYA: A former National Service Camp (NSC) trainee has decried the value of the three months stint, saying it had deprived him of time in school.

The trainee, who was among the early batches in 2004, was in Lower Six when he was drafted to do the mandatory national service in Penang.

“I was in Lower Six when they called me to join the national service camp. I was shocked when my parents told me that my name was on the list.

“I was frightened that if I did not join NS they would put me in jail. So I left my Lower Six and wasted three months in the camp,” said the Indian Muslim trainee from Seremban, who declined to be named.
According to him after he returned from camp and joined school, he had trouble coping with the classwork.

“They sent me to a camp in Penang far from my home town. After three months, I came home and continued my studies but found difficulty in coping with the classwork.

“I fell behind on my work and failed to score excellent result in the exams.
“Today I am working in the private sector for a low salary.

“The whole experience was a waste of time. We learnt nothing. They gave us a one day lesson on how to handle a M16 machine gun. I have completely forgotten how to operate it now.

“They gave us a certificate but the Public Service Commission rejected it when I showed it to them in an interview.

“Just imagine, if the government is not serious about its own certificate, no need to tell about the private sector’s reaction to the certificate,” he said, adding that racial polarisation was also rampant at the camp he attended.

No more relevant

Meanwhile DAP’s Senawang assemblyman P Guna when contacted said that the NSC programme was no more relevant to school-leaving students.

Conceived in 2004 with the aim of instilling patriotism among the younger generation, foster national unity and develop positive character, the programme, Guna said, had failed to meet its objectives and was now merely a benefit to Barisan Nasional cronies​.

(According to Deputy Defence Minister Abu Seman Yusop until 2008 the government had spent RM2.37 bilionl to finance the programme.)

“There is no comparing our NSC programme with Singapore.

“In Singapore a participant must attend the programme for three years. Whereas here they attend the programme for three months only.

“What can they learn in three months? Also why are the 80 camps in Malaysia run by individuals and not the government?” he asked adding that most parents were unhappy with the way the programme was managed.

Guna added that the NSC also had a poor track record of safety.

“So far 17 detainees have died and numerous cases of injuries reported. They have also been few cases of sex abuse, racial brawls and harassment. These cases ministry has failed to solve, ” he said.