PLKN Not Mere Cosmetic - Hishammuddin

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 13 (Bernama) -- The National Service Training Programme (PLKN) is not mere cosmetic but will bring about change and significant improvement.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the training programme is not all about the singing of patriotic songs and the chanting of slogans.

"The people out there want to see major changes so that we can convince the parents and their children to join PLKN voluntarily," he said at the 'On Boarding Session' of the PLKN Transformation Laboratory, here today.

The PLKN Transformation Laboratory from Feb 23 to March 26 is participated by 85 stakeholders such as the ministries, government agencies, the private sector, industry players, youths, trainers, camp operators and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Hishammuddin hopes the laboratory can find the best formula to make PLKN the platform to increase the involvement of youths regardless of race and political ideology, and to remain relevant and effective in today's world.

"The world is full of hatred, disunity, violence and murder. Via PLKN, the trainees can share their views and not easily swayed by emotion and can discuss things rationally and with maturity."

A total of 832,712 trainees had participated in PLKN since it was introduced in 2004.

On Jan 10, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the suspension of the 2015 PLKN session as part of cost-cutting measures by the government.

-- BERNAMA

Cancel NS altogether, says DAP

Party vice-president Kula Segaran suggests that money be spent on more progressive programmes.

FMT

GEORGE TOWN: DAP today urged the government to abolish the National Service (NS) programme and channel the money saved towards more progressive programmes.

M Kula Segaran, a vice-president of the party, said it would be cheaper and more productive for Putrajaya to “expand and enhance” the Students Integration Programme for Unity (RIMUP) that was launched in 1986 with the objective of building unity among students of different races.

He noted that since the NS programme was launched in 2004, the government had spent billions of ringgit to run it.

In May 2008, Deputy Defence Minister Abu Seman Yusop told Parliament that the government had spent RM608.6 million in 2004, RM604.8 million in 2005, RM588.2 million in 2006 and RM565 million in 2007 to run the NS programme.

Kula also noted that 22 participants had died in NS camps and that a former NS trainer was detained recently on suspicion of planning a new route to the Middle East for recruits to join the Islamic State militant group.

“Malaysians remain unconvinced by claims that the programme is worthwhile,” he said. “I therefore call on the government to cancel the NS programme altogether, rather than just suspending it for a year.”

The programme was mooted by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamed just before he retired in 2003. Kula said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should not be deterred by Mahathir’s current animosity towards him from “doing what is necessary”.

Najib yesterday announced that the NS programme would be suspended for a year as part of cost-cutting measures to face tough economic challenges. The suspension is estimated to save the federal government about RM400 million.

Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein disclosed that NS camp operators and trainers would receive their pay despite the the suspension.

Kula demanded disclosure of how much the operators would be paid and an explanation of why they would be paid.

He also asked why only RM400 million would be saved. If the 2015 budget for NS was RM600 million, he said, this meant that some RM200 million would still be spent.

Despite NS camp closures, staff will get pay

 

Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein today said that national service camp operators and coaches will not be affected by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's decision to close down national service camps for a year in 2015.

"The closing down of the camps will not affect operators and coaches who are on a permanent payroll," Hishammuddin told reporters in Putrajaya today after Najib's special address.

"Our transformation plan for national service remains at 10 years," he added.

Earlier today, Najib announced that the national service programme will be frozen for 2015, in the government's efforts to cut down some spending in the face of dropping government revenue, triggered by the alarming drop in global crude oil prices.

He said that the move will save the government RM400 million.

Instead, Hishammuddin (right) noted, his ministry would organise and conduct "labs" involving the national service staff, in their attempt to revamp the whole programme.

"The labs will be conducted with all stakeholders, including parents, to see where we can take the national service to in the next 10 years," he said.

The defence minister stressed that "this freezing won't affect anyone who are directly involved in the programme".

He added that he "wholeheartedly" supported the PM's measures.

Meanwhile, Hishammuddin remained coy when asked about Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's support letter to the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), vouching for alleged gambling kingpin Paul Phua.

"I can only answer for myself. I never sent a letter to the FBI (while being home minister)," he said.

Deaths at NS camps due to undetectable diseases, claims ministry

Female students sit in their tent on the first day of the National Service Program at a camp in Kuala Kubu Baru outside of Kuala Lumpur 16 February 2004. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — All 20 deaths at National Service (NS) camps, except for one, were caused by “undetectable” health problems such as leukemia, the Defence Ministry revealed today.

In a reply to Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul in Parliament, Deputy Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri said the deaths were “undetectable” as they were due to health problems prior to the trainees’ participation at the camps.

“Since the programme started in 2004, actually there were only 20 deaths, and not 22. “There were various reasons for the deaths but the majority was caused by the trainees’ health problems like leukemia, heart problems, breathing difficulties, which were not detectable, while one death at the Muadzam Shah camp was caused by a serious misunderstanding, resulting in one person being charged in court,” he said.

On September 22, 2013, an 18-year-old trainee was bludgeoned to death at the Muadzam Shah, Pahang camp for allegedly cutting queue during breakfast earlier in the day.

However, there has been reports such as death caused by leptospirosis, or commonly known as the “rat fever” in March 2012, at a camp in Perak, a death due to viral infection in June 2005, in Negri Sembilan, another death in Sabah in May during the same year after allegedly being injured during training.

There was also a report on a trainee who died when he was swimming in Sarawak in April 2004.

“There is one rape case on February 24, 2004 when the programme had just started and the case has been tried in court and brought up to the Court of Appeal, the trainer has been punished 12 years jail with three strokes of the cane.

“As for arguments or fights, there are 442 cases misunderstandings in 10 years from 2004 to 2013 and 242 reported to police to be recorded and get counseling from the police while the rest were settled amicably.

“The government is always concerned about these cases and will take the appropriate action based on the law especially cases involving negligence and officers who did not follow the SOP,” he said.

The Kudat MP stressed that unlike the programmes similar to NS in Korea and Singapore which are based on military training, NS in Malaysia is based on shaping identities, training for national integration, and to foster the spirit of patriotism and volunteerism

“In 2009, [the National Service Training Department] and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia conducted a survey on 61,950 respondents from different backgrounds and found that 80 percent agreed that the National Service programme has reached its goals and had brought positive effect on the trainees,” he said.

Since the programme was first introduced in 2004, Abdul Rahim said 752, 643 people were trained, costing RM550 million to RM650 million annually.

Deaths at NS camps taken lightly?

The NS programme needs a 're-evaluation' and cannot continue under the present circumstances which has left both the parents and trainees worried.


COMMENT



The country’s money-spinning and disastrous National Service (NS) programme has once again made news for the wrong reason. A trainee, R Vinoth, 18, last month died of suspected leptospirosis which is caused by rat poisoning.

Since its inception, the NS programme has been plagued with casualties and problems. Trainees had died due to food poisoning, had been raped, sexually assaulted, drowned and suffered fatal injuries during training.

There was even a racial brawl that broke out among the trainees and still the man who masterminded this ill-conceived programme, the then defence minister and current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak finds no reason to re-evaluate or simply terminate the NS programme.

Between 2004 and 2008, a total of 339,186 youths had undergone NS training. Statistics show that as of June 2008, 17 deaths had taken place since the NS inception in 2004. Twelve trainees died in the camps and five others died during breaks or within days of completing their training.

Najib, even the present Defence Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, is least disturbed with the fatalities taking place during NS training. That explains Ahmad Zahid’s remark that the government had no plans to review the NS training programme following Vinoth’s death in the Terkok camp in Sungai Siput Utara in March.

“The call to suspend or to review the programme is a step backward. We know certain matters cannot be avoided,’’ was Ahmad Zahid’s reply to a supplementary question from Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) during question time in Parliament.

Is Ahmad Zahid through his “certain matters cannot be avoided” telling parents and future NS trainess that death at the NS camps is unavoidable? That is very creepy, coming from a minister looking after the nation’s safety.

How has re-evaluating or suspending a life-threatening programme become a step backward? It is Ahmad Zahid’s thinking that has to “progress” from its present state.

The most Ahmad Zahid decided to do was to omit water training modules for trainees slated for NS training next month. The Defence Ministry would now consider using swimming pools instead of man-made lakes for future water-based training activities.

Why no concern, Najib?

What will it take for Najib to acknowledge that the NS programme has done more harm than good? He continues to disregard calls for the programme to be axed as according to Najib, “many parties are involved”.

Just who are these “many parties” referred to by Najib? Who really is “benefiting” from the NS programmes – is it the “frightened” trainees or the suppliers of the various periphernalia related to the programme?

Is the NS free of cronyism and corruption? Have certain quarters been awarded lucrative deals in all things related to the NS?

Between 2004 and 2007, a sum of RM2.37 billion was spent on the NS programme. This despite Najib having said that the programme would not cost more than RM500 million a year.

In 2004 some RM608.6 million was spent, 2005 (RM604.8 million), 2006 (RM588.2 million) and in 2007, some RM565 million was spent.

Deaths at NS camps taken lightly

In trying very hard to safeguard the “interest” of those “many parties”, Najib in 2008 revealed his couldn’t-care-less attitude when he dismissed the deaths of NS trainees. The premier said just because 16 participants had died, there was no reason to terminate the NS programme.

To Najib, the 16 deaths represented a mere 0.004% of the 339,186 trainees who had gone through the programme since 2004.

“Out of the figure, 11 trainees died in the camps while another five died outside the camps. Of the deaths reported in the camps, seven were due to illnesses and four due to accidents,” was all that the prime minister could say.

On Feb 15, 2010, NS trainee, Mohd Zulhaili Noraihan, 18, died at the Kem Wawasan Ovai in Papar, Kota Kinabalu. The camp personnel were held responsible over the participant’s death, for their lackaidaisical attitude in providing medical aid.

In January last year, a Sikh NS trainee Basant Singh woke up horrified to see his long hair snipped while he was asleep at the training camp in Penang. No apology was tendered by the National Service and Training Department nor by Najib to the trainee, his family and the Sikh community over the incident which violated the Sikh religious rights.

Making matters worse was Najib’s domineering wife Rosmah Mansor who defended the NS programme. Why did she do that? Is the Najib family a “stakeholder” in the NS programme, that is, the “many parties involved”?

NS needs “re-evaluation”

The NS programme needs a “re-evaluation” and cannot continue under the present circumstances which has left both the parents and trainees worried.

The government’s arm-twisting manner in forcing youngsters to attend the NS training is clearly in the “best interest” of the “many parties involved”. Those who dodge training are liable to a fine of up to RM3,000 and or six months imprisonment. Exceptions are made strictly for those who have physical disabilities or serious medical ailments.

From the original two years to a year and finally reduced to six months, the NS programme was meant to forge camaraderie between the traineees and arrest racial polarisation that has pervaded schools, colleges and universities in Malaysia. Honestly, has the NS succeded in its objectives?

Instead, the lack of counsellors, imbalanced diet for the trainees, poor communication between the various secretariats and the absence of a code of conduct for camp commandants, directors, trainers, facilitators and supervisors have all contributed to NS being a flop.

The National Service and Training Department which comes under the Defence Ministry has failed to solve the most basic of concern, that of hygiene at the training camps, resulting in cases of food poisoning being reported every year.

In January 2009, 155 national service trainees at the Teluk Rubish camp near Lumut suffered from food poisoning after a meal of chicken chop at the camp’s canteen.

In 2005, fears were raised in Parliament about trainees being trained to use firearms, namely the M-16 rifles. Najib had claimed then that it was merely a pilot project but a DAP member revealed that the Parliamentary Select Committee on Unity and National Service had not been informed of the project. The firearms module has since become an official module in the programme.

The trainees are also not required to seek qualified medical opinion when submitting a health status declaration. While they are required to undergo training at government hospitals, this however is not effectively reinforced.

However, these “deficiencies” in the programme make no difference to Najib, who, in trying to portray the NS as a success, had then said:

“I would like to inform the House that the programme has been well-received by the rakyat despite the cases of death. The confidence of the rakyat shows through the applications to voluntarily take part in the programme which has increased from 929 applicants (2007) to 1,137 ( 2008 ).”

Would Najib and Ahmad Zahidi, ike the rest of the parents, face sleepless nights if it was their child drafted to do NS, which ever since its formation has been nothing short of a nightmare?

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.

‘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.

NS trainee collapses, dies

(Bernama) - KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 — A National Service (NS) trainee collapsed while performing the Zohur prayers at the Temasya Rimba Templer National Service Training Camp in Rawang, and later died at the Selayang Hospital, yesterday.

Syed Abdul Rahman Syed Ahmad, 17, from Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, was rushed to the Selayang Hospital at about 1.50pm but was pronounced dead about 50 minutes later.

“Medical record checks revealed that Syed Abdul Rahman did not have any medical problems and was active. He was always active in training at the camp,” said the National Service Training Department (JLKN) in a statement today.

According to JLKN records, the victim was only treated once for cough.

“The department will fly over his parents from Kuching, Sarawak and his body flown to Sarawak,” said the statement.

The incident has been classified as sudden death. — Bernama